Angelo Siciliano was a 97-pound weakling from Brooklyn...
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The story is true. Angelo Siciliano was a 97-pound weakling from Brooklyn. When he was fourteen years old and on a date at the beach, a couple of tough twelve year olds came along and started kicking sand on his Sunday suit. When his girl asked if he were going to defend his honor, Angelo feebly protested that he was too frail and skinny to be a champion. At that point she got up and left him.
Angelo went home and prayed. He besought Jesus to make him big and strong. Fervently Angelo continued to petition his Savior for strength. Then one Saturday morning a kindly man, Mr. Davenport, took Angelo to the Brooklyn Museum. There the youth saw a gigantic Grecian statue of a man with bulging muscles. He inquired if there were men really like that. Mr. Davenport replied there were men that muscular. Angelo then asked if he could ever have such a physique, and his mentor replied, "If you try hard, if you love the Lord, you can do anything with yourself."
Angelo returned home and prayed more fervently than ever. His answer came one morning as he observed his cat. When the cat got up he stretched, then arched his back, bringing one muscle to bear against another, creating tension. Angelo realized he could build his muscles by doing the same with his body.
In time Angelo became the "Strongest Man in the World" and changed his name to Charles Atlas. Soon children everywhere were writing Mr. Atlas, asking how they could become as strong as he. In response he developed a course for muscle building; he also told the children they must have Jesus Christ in their hearts.
Abram received a new name -- Abraham -- when he got a new calling in life. The same is true for all of us when we are transformed by Christ into new servants in his name.
Angelo went home and prayed. He besought Jesus to make him big and strong. Fervently Angelo continued to petition his Savior for strength. Then one Saturday morning a kindly man, Mr. Davenport, took Angelo to the Brooklyn Museum. There the youth saw a gigantic Grecian statue of a man with bulging muscles. He inquired if there were men really like that. Mr. Davenport replied there were men that muscular. Angelo then asked if he could ever have such a physique, and his mentor replied, "If you try hard, if you love the Lord, you can do anything with yourself."
Angelo returned home and prayed more fervently than ever. His answer came one morning as he observed his cat. When the cat got up he stretched, then arched his back, bringing one muscle to bear against another, creating tension. Angelo realized he could build his muscles by doing the same with his body.
In time Angelo became the "Strongest Man in the World" and changed his name to Charles Atlas. Soon children everywhere were writing Mr. Atlas, asking how they could become as strong as he. In response he developed a course for muscle building; he also told the children they must have Jesus Christ in their hearts.
Abram received a new name -- Abraham -- when he got a new calling in life. The same is true for all of us when we are transformed by Christ into new servants in his name.
