Serena Thanks Jehovah for Winning Wimbledon

[Bro.David Drake DeLaurento]

SERENA WILLIAMS WINS WIMBLEDON; THANKS JEHOVAH!

Serena Williams is a Grand Slam champion yet again, beating Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 to win a fifth championship at the All England Club and 14th major title overall, ending a two-year drought.

“Coming here and winning today is amazing,” she said. “It’s been an unbelievable journey for me.”

A few days after winning Wimbledon for the fourth time in 2010, Serena Williams cut both feet on broken glass while leaving a restaurant in Germany. She needed two operations on her right foot. Then she got blood clots in her lungs, for which she needed to inject herself with a blood thinner. Those shots led to a pool of blood gathering under her stomach’s skin, requiring another procedure.

“That made her realize where her life was, really, and where she really belonged and that she really loved the game,” said Williams’ mother, Oracene Price. “You never appreciate anything until you almost lose it.”

While Monday’s rankings will have her listed at No. 4, there’s no doubt who is at the top of the game right now. Seeded sixth at the All England Club, she beat the women who were No. 2 (Azarenka), No. 3 (Radwanska) and No. 4 (defending champion Petra Kvitova). At age 30, Williams is the oldest women’s singles champion at any major tournament since Martina Navratilova was 33 when she won Wimbledon in 1990.

Accepting the prestigious trophy, Serena’s first words, as the mike was lifted to her, were: “I thank Jehovah for taking me this far.” No doubt, not the most popular nor familiar proclamation in the predominantly Anglican England or the world of professional sports. At times, the cameras shifted to Serena’s father Richard Williams, who was seated beside his daughter Venus. On the left-side of Richard’s shirt, the words of faith read: “Jehovah, my God.”

Afterward, as Serena gave an interview backstage, admitting that she’s been through a lot in the past few years, as there’s been illness, injury, and depression surrounding her and her family, she told Lindsay Davenport: “I just kept praying and my prayers were answered.”

We’re glad to see Serena proclaiming her faith to the world…

Article Source: HipHollywood.com

The Source's Source: Huffington Post

 

[Cool Cat]

Is she a Jehovah's Witness or not?

Normally she thanks Jehovah not for winning the matches but for helping her cope and keep going and overcome her problems.

[Blueyedchanel]

Is she a Jehovah's Witness or not?

Normally she thanks Jehovah not for winning the matches but for helping her cope and keep going and overcome her problems.

Maybe her words were taken out of context. Wouldn't be the first time a journalist misquoted or mislead in a news article.

[ava]

I have read this all over, each newspaper is saying the same thing. She also said this:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/wimbledon/9385202/Wimbledon-2012-Williams-sisters-celebrate-their-own-high-fives-after-singles-and-doubles-triumphs.html

"The only sensation, one felt, which could have eclipsed that of a 14th slam success would be a gold medal in the doubles with Venus at the London Olympics in three weeks’ time.

Thanks to the influence of father Richard, the pair grew up watching documentaries on the Games - “we saw a lot of Greg Louganis and Jackie Joyner-Kersee,” Venus reflected - and are consumed by a belief in the Olympic ideal. “It’s definitely the pinnacle of sport,” the elder Williams said. “People live and die in those Olympic moments, so for us it’s about sharing that moment with our country and the world and each other.”

Sharing the moment with "our country" and "the world".

I have tried to keep an open mind with them, but they don't make it easy.

I do not think though that they are baptized, maybe one day though they will be.

[Blueyedchanel]

Oh, well I was trying to give her the benefit of the doubt. I hope they make it to the District Convention somewhere. It was the best most personal and emotional convention I have ever been to yet, and I've been to about 29 of them.

[Bethany Jones]

from what i have read they are not baptised witnesses but have been bought up with a witness mother and from all accounts Venus at least is working towards one day being baptised.

[retroHelen]

It's difficult to judge (at approx 5.20):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSw93ZbVs3Q

I was willing to give her the benefit of the doubt and got the impression she meant that she 'thanked Jehovah for getting her this far' - in the sense of that she had been so ill and never thought she would be able to make it back to the tennis she loves (after her illness and pulmonary embolism). She never actually said that she thanks him for helping her to win the tournament.She goes on to thank her family and friends who stood by her through her illness.

It was a good match, though I felt sorry for her opponent because Agnieska was so full of a head cold and had cut short previous TV interviews because she could not stop coughing and was working her way through a box of tissues - blowing her nose - at every break in the game!

Wimbledon was dogged by' rain delays' in many matches and both the women's and men's finals, while there were over 80 flood warnings across the UK. We've never seen so much rain in summer. It's more like a monsoon season! Now the public await the Olympics, which also features tennis. The newspapers say that at the opening ceremony, the arena will feature aspects of the English countryside. One Daily Mail cartoon shows 2 folk under umbrellas in waterproofs ( our National Costume!) saying "So they are going to fill it with water then!":

[Simon17]

What's wrong with her thanking Jehovah for taking her this far? Don't we thank him for food and water and a safe journey or a million other things that are good things happening to us outside our control and beyond what we deserve?

I don't see anything wrong with being happy at sharing her experiences with her country and her world. I was going to try to defend this comment before realizing that I'm not even sure why people are finding it objectionable...

[Bro.David Drake DeLaurento]

Many may feel that the spirit of the sport which is competition is not Christian like behavior. Additionally, thanking the world or nation does show an affinity towards a political view. I don't know. I could be wrong. It's just an observation.

[Greenfield]

Jehovah doesn't take sides in sports, and to say he does I think is somewhat irreverant. Who would take such a God seriously?

Still, for all we know she meant as Simon said "for helping her cope and keep going and overcome her problems." I really don't know. I don't think she is a baptized active Witness anyway, no reason to believe she is.

[Simon17]

Many may feel that the spirit of the sport which is competition is not Christian like behavior. Additionally, thanking the world or nation does show an affinity towards a political view. I don't know. I could be wrong. It's just an observation.

I don't see how it can be construed as political when she thanked the entire world.

As for competition, I see why it would rub people the wrong way but I bet people on here have prayed thanking Jehovah for finding a job, or surviving a round of firing at their company, or things like that. Thats essentially competition too, beating out someone else for employment. I find it unlikely Jehovha is behind the scenes manuevering events for either to transpire (you or me to find a job or Serena to make a successful tennis comeback), but its natural to be thankful for what one has.

I'm not a big Serena fan, but I think its nice to see athletes spread credit for their acheivements and either way, I don't think we should be so hard on her .

[Brother_Bliss]

I... got the impression she meant that she 'thanked Jehovah for getting her this far' - in the sense of that she had been so ill and never thought she would be able to make it back to the tennis she loves (after her illness and pulmonary embolism). She never actually said that she thanks him for helping her to win the tournament.She goes on to thank her family and friends who stood by her through her illness.

You are 100% correct. And she did nothing wrong in doing so.

1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether you are eating or drinking or doing anything else, do all things for God’s glory.”

It's funny, all the rest of us could step on glass, break a leg, or anything else that would lay us up for some time and make us fear potentially losing the ability to do something that we have loved to do, and at the end of our recovery will thank Jehovah all the same. But when a celebrity does it on television, it's "naughty naughty". There is more shame on us than there is on her. For all you know she could be reading this thread.

Consider her mentioning Jehovah as free advertising. This is not reproach like the other recent dismal news story.

[Brother_Bliss]

Many may feel that the spirit of the sport which is competition is not Christian like behavior. Additionally, thanking the world or nation does show an affinity towards a political view. I don't know. I could be wrong. It's just an observation.

You accurately describe the views of a number of brothers and sisters. Ironically, brothers and sisters all over the place play sports all the time. The "spirit of competition" does not have to be present in playing a sport...

*** w70 6/15 p. 356 How Wise Is the Spirit of Competition? ***

What, then, about playing games? In this case much depends on the spirit that the players show. Are they trying to stir up competition? Or are they simply having a good time playing? Since it is easy to stir up the spirit of competition in games and sports, some may desire to look for ways to play games that eliminate or minimize the element of competition.

I hardly see such spirit of competition in a game of tennis. (Serena: "You're going down! And when I have finished with you I will wrap your face in the net and I will make sure you are known forever more as the Wimbledon Weeper! Aarrggggh!")

She is a celebrity, and so there are those who were encouraging her and rooting for her recovery and return to the game. Thanking the nation could just be a reference to her peers and nothing to do with government. Even moreso with "the world".

Let's try to be balanced and reasonable, brothers and sisters, and not be like the Net Witnesses who are always looking for the next witch hunt.

[Brother_Bliss]

As for competition, I see why it would rub people the wrong way but I bet people on here have prayed thanking Jehovah for finding a job, or surviving a round of firing at their company, or things like that. Thats essentially competition too, beating out someone else for employment. I find it unlikely Jehovha is behind the scenes manuevering events for either to transpire (you or me to find a job or Serena to make a successful tennis comeback), but its natural to be thankful for what one has.

I'm not a big Serena fan, but I think its nice to see athletes spread credit for their acheivements and either way, I don't think we should be so hard on her .

[Cool Cat]

I... got the impression she meant that she 'thanked Jehovah for getting her this far' - in the sense of that she had been so ill and never thought she would be able to make it back to the tennis she loves (after her illness and pulmonary embolism). She never actually said that she thanks him for helping her to win the tournament.She goes on to thank her family and friends who stood by her through her illness.

You are 100% correct. And she did nothing wrong in doing so.

1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether you are eating or drinking or doing anything else, do all things for God’s glory.”

It's funny, all the rest of us could step on glass, break a leg, or anything else that would lay us up for some time and make us fear potentially losing the ability to do something that we have loved to do, and at the end of our recovery will thank Jehovah all the same. But when a celebrity does it on television, it's "naughty naughty". There is more shame on us than there is on her. For all you know she could be reading this thread.

Consider her mentioning Jehovah as free advertising. This is not reproach like the other recent dismal news story.

Many other times i have seen her say thank you to Jehovah (usually at Wimbledon because it is all over the TV here in the UK) it has always been about her health not a thank you about helping her win Wimbledon.

I wonder who else people think should be the first person to be thanked by a witness if you have won a sports event. Not to say thank you for helping me win but a thank you for general help in their lives. This has always been the kind of thank you I have seen her give and by any normal Christian should be the first thank you given in this circumstance. I hope she becomes a dedicated baptized witness. She probably single handedly proclaimed Jehovah's name to more people than all the witnesses that went out preaching in the UK on that day. As the scripture says :- Luke 9:50 But Jesus said to him: “Do not YOU men try to prevent [him], for he that is not against YOU is for YOU.”

It is said that Serena's parents are witnesses so anything Serena does for Jehovah is based on her understanding from her witness parents. If she was worldly then she would of thanked Jehovah for helping her win Wimbledon which she didn't do. So we should as Christians give her the benefit of the doubt because we know that normally people thank their God for helping them beat their opponent which Serena did not do.

Hope that makes sense.