Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
>> (MATT AUSTIN) I WAS BROUGHT
UP IN A CHRISTIAN HOME.
I WAS ALWAYS TAUGHT
ABOUT GOD BUT, YOU KNOW--
AND I ACCEPTED THE LORD IN MY
HEART WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID,
BUT I DON'T THINK AT THE TIME
THAT I TRULY KNEW THE MEANING
AND, YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST--
PROBABLY THE PAST THREE YEARS IS
WHEN I REALLY BECOME TO KNOW THE
LORD IN WAYS THAT I NEVER WOULD
HAVE THOUGHT I WOULD.
JUST DEALING WITH EVERY DAY LIFE
EXPERIENCES AND GOING DOWN THE
ROAD OF LIFE, YOU KNOW, MY
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD HAS JUST
GROWN TREMENDOUSLY.
AND, YOU KNOW, I USED TO NEVER
READ MY BIBLE AND DIDN'T GO
TO CHURCH MUCH, BUT I TRY TO
GO TO CHURCH WHEN I CAN NOW.
IT'S KIND OF TOUGH ON THE ROAD,
BUT WE'VE GOT THE COWBOY
CHURCHES AT THOSE RODEOS, WHICH,
I THINK, IS A GREAT THING.
AND THAT JUST GOES TO SHOW YOU,
YOU KNOW, THAT NOT JUST ONE
MAN'S FAITH BUT, YOU KNOW, THESE
PEOPLE OUT HERE MAKING A LIVING
RODEOING, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE
FAITH IN WHAT THEY'RE DOIN' AND,
YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW WHERE THEY
GET THEIR GLORY FROM, YOU KNOW,
THAT THEY'VE PUT THESE
COWBOY CHURCHES TOGETHER
AND PUT THEM ON.
AND, YOU KNOW,
I'M THANKFUL EVERY DAY FOR THE
OPPORTUNITIES I'VE BEEN GIVEN
AND THE CHANCES THAT I'VE HAD.
YOU KNOW, I SEE GUYS GET MAD,
YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY GUT BUCKED
OFF OR THE TRUCK BREAKS DOWN,
BUT THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHIN'
TO BE THANKFUL FOR.
YOU KNOW, I'VE MET YOUNG
KIDS AND PEOPLE THAT--
IN A WHEELCHAIR AND
HADN'T HAD OPPORTUNITIES.
YOU KNOW, I'M BLESSED EVERY DAY
OF MY LIFE THAT I CAN JUST GET
OUT OF BED AND WALK AND TALK.
YOU KNOW, THAT TO
ME IS A MIRACLE.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S AMAZING WHEN
YOU SEE PEOPLE THAT CAN'T DO
THAT KIND OF STUFF; AND, YOU
KNOW, YOU WANNA GET MAD 'CAUSE
YOU GET BUCKED OFF A BULL?
YOU KNOW, WHAT'S
THE SENSE IN THAT?
YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS
SOMETHIN' TO BE THANKFUL FOR.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'M THANKFUL
EACH AND EVERY DAY BECAUSE I'VE
BEEN SO BLESSED, AND SOMETIMES
I FEEL OVERLY BLESSED.
AND SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I
DON'T DESERVE THE THINGS THAT
I'VE DONE BECAUSE, IN HIGH
SCHOOL, I KNOW I WAS KIND OF
WILD AND RAMBUNCTIOUS BUT, YOU
KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A STORY I
LIKE TO TELL, YOU KNOW.
I GUESS WHEN I WAS
IN 10TH OR 11TH GRADE, I
ALWAYS LIVED WITH MY DAD.
AND IF YOU KNOW ME AND MY DAD,
WE WERE BEST FRIENDS.
AND ME AND MY DAD KINDA GOT INTO
IT, AND I MOVED OUT AND MOVED IN
WITH MY MOM AND DIDN'T TALK TO
MY DAD FOR ABOUT YEAR AND A
HALF.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I REALIZED
THAT I WAS IN THE WRONG.
AND ABOUT A YEAR AND A
HALF LATER, ME AND MY DAD
STARTED TALKING AGAIN.
AND I TOLD HIM, "YOU KNOW,
I'M SORRY FOR, YOU KNOW, NOT
MINDING," OR WHATEVER I DID,
YOU KNOW, AND HE FORGAVE ME.
WE WENT BACK TO
BEST FRIENDS AGAIN.
AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S
THE SAME WAY WITH THE
GOOD LORD, YOU KNOW.
I-- AT THAT TIME, I KINDA
FELL AWAY FROM HIM, BUT I COME
BACK.
AND I SAID, "FATHER,"
YOU KNOW, "I'M SORRY."
AND HE SAYS, "YOU'RE FORGIVEN."
AND, YOU KNOW, ACCEPTING THE
LORD AS YOUR PERSONAL
SAVIOR--YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN I
WISED UP AND STARTED CHANGING
MY LIFE AROUND AND DOING
THINGS RIGHT, YOU KNOW, I HAD
THAT REALIZATION I'M OUT HERE
RODEOING AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS
GOIN' TO THE BARS AND ALL THAT
STUFF, AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, I
COME IN ONE NIGHT AND SAID I'VE
GOT A LORD THAT SENT HIS
SON TO DIE ON THE CROSS
FOR MY SINS, AND HOW AM I
GLORIFYING HIM?
YOU KNOW, I WASN'T AT THE TIME.
I WAS DONE RODEOING,
AND I WAS GOIN' TO THE
BAR...WHATEVER, YOU KNOW.
AND I WASN'T HAPPY WITH MYSELF.
AND I-- THAT NIGHT I-- JUST IN
THAT MOTEL AND I SAID, "FATHER,
I'M SORRY FOR, YOU KNOW, I'VE
SLIPPED AWAY FROM YOU.
PLEASE FORGIVE ME AND GIVE
ME STRENGTH TO DO BETTER
AND OVERCOME OBSTACLES
THAT MAY COME MY WAY."
AND HE DID!
HE FORGAVE ME, YOU KNOW?
NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
YOU KNOW, HE FORGAVE ME; AND
FROM WHEN I DID THAT, IT FELT
LIKE A, YOU KNOW, A TEN-TON
POUND WEIGHT WAS LIFTED OFF MY
BACK; AND, YOU KNOW, I FELT
LIKE I COULD MOVE AGAIN.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST-- I'M
THANKFUL EVERY DAY BECAUSE I
KNOW I'M SO BLESSED IN
EVERYTHING I'VE EVER DONE.
YOU KNOW, I CREDIT IT
TO THE GOOD LORD ABOVE.
[ ANNOUNCER ]
>> BIG OLE BLACK AND WHITE BULL!
I MEAN, HE IS HUGE!
[ MUSIC AND CHEERS ]
[ ANNOUNCER ]
>> YES, YES!
[ CHEERS ]
[ ANNOUNCER ]
>> WELL, THERE'S YOUR NUMBER 5,
PAUL HAMUS, THAT'S
WHAT YOU ASKED FOR!
[ ANOTHER ANNOUNCER ]
>> WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
MATH, HE REMAINS RIGHT WHERE
HE WANTS TO BE-- ON TOP!
87 AND A HALF FOR
MATT AUSTIN! 2ND PLACE
MONEY, 4TH IN THE ROUND.
>> (MATT AUSTIN)
IN PHILIPPIANS 4:13, YOU KNOW,
IT SAID THAT WE CAN DO ALL
THINGS THROUGH CHRIST, WHICH
STRENGTHENS US, YOU KNOW, AND
NOT JUST THIS AND
THAT, BUT ALL THINGS.
AND, UH, THAT'S ONE OF MY
FAVORITE VERSES AND, YOU KNOW,
IF I FEEL MYSELF GETTIN'
PRESSURED UP OR TENSED OR
WORRIED ABOUT SOMETHIN',
YOU KNOW, I'LL
SAY THAT OVER AND OVER.
AND, YOU KNOW, I SAID
THAT A LOT LAST YEAR.
AND, YOU KNOW, COMIN' INTO THE
NATIONAL FINALS AGAIN, YOU KNOW,
I HAD A GOOD LEAD ON HIM BUT,
YOU KNOW, I NEVER PUT IT IN
AUTOPILOT BECAUSE I ALWAYS TOLD
MYSELF-- YOU KNOW, I WENT
THROUGH THE ATTITUDE, LIKE, "I'M
IN 2ND PLACE, AND I'VE GOT SOME
CATCHING UP TO DO."
AND, YOU KNOW, I ALSO HAD
A CHANCE TO BEAT TY MURRAY'S
RECORD, BUT I WAS GONNA HAVE
TO HAVE PRETTY GOOD FINALS.
AND, YOU KNOW, I
HAD A GREAT FINALS.
I RODE, I THINK, SEVEN OR
EIGHT OR TEN OF MY BULLS AND--
BUT I NEVER WON A GO-ROUND,
BUT THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
UH, COMIN' DOWN TO THE 10TH
ROUND, AND I HAD ALREADY WON THE
WORLD TITLE IN THE 7TH ROUND,
BUT I NEVER PUT IT IN AUTOPILOT.
[ ANNOUNCER ]
>> HE WOULD BE THE FIRST
COWBOY TO GO OVER $300,000
IN SINGLE SEASON EARNINGS.
>> (MATT AUSTIN) I JUST
KEPT RIDING BECAUSE I
TRULY LOVED TO RIDE IT.
AND THEN ONE THING MY DAD ALWAYS
TOLD ME, HE SAYS, "YOU KNOW,
THEM BULLS, THEY DON'T READ YOUR
BUCKLES...READ YOUR STATS.
THEY DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE."
AND SO, UH, YOU KNOW, 10TH
ROUND I REALLY HAD A GOOD BULL,
BUT DON KISH IS RAZOR SHARP.
AND THEY HAD WON A ROUND ON
HIM PREVIOUSLY, AND THEY HAD
90-SOMETHING POINTS ON HIM.
AND I HAD TO RIDE HIM TO WIN THE
AVERAGE AND, YOU KNOW, BEIN' THE
LAST GUY AND LAST DAY...CROWD ON
THEIR FEET, I MEAN, IT WAS,
JUST, I COULDN'T
WAIT TO NOD MY HEAD.
AND THE BULL WAS REALLY GOOD.
HE TURNED BACK RIGHT THERE TO
THE RIGHT IN MY HAND AND, UH,
YOU KNOW, THE WHISTLE BLEW AND
I STEPPED OFF AND, YOU KNOW, I
JUST, I KNEW THAT I
HAD DONE IT, YOU KNOW?
I WON THE AVERAGE AND JUST HAD A
UNBELIEVABLE YEAR AND, YOU KNOW,
I JUST PRAISE THE GOOD LORD FOR
ALL HE'S GIVEN ME IN THAT YEAR.
[ ANNOUNCER ]
>> IT HAPPENED!
YOUR NFR AGGREGATE
CHAMPION, MATT AUSTIN,
WILLS POINT, TEXAS!
>> (MATT AUSTIN) WELL, NOT JUST
AT THE FINALS BUT EVERY TIME
BEFORE I GET ON A BULL, AFTER I
PUT MY ROPE ON HIM, YOU KNOW, I
SAY A PRAYER WHEN I GET--
AFTER I GET MY STUFF ON HIM.
BUT WHEN I PUT MY ROPE ON MY
BULL, YOU KNOW, I PUT MY HAND
ON MY ROPE AND MY BULL, AND ALL
I ASK THE GOOD LORD
ABOVE US AND, YOU KNOW,
"BLESS THIS BULL TO PERFORM
HIS BEST BEING THAT NO HARM
WILL COME TO HIM.
BLESS ME TO PERFORM MY
BEST BEING THAT NO HARM
WILL COME TO ME.
KEEP US SAFE.
LET'S PRAY THAT WE CAN BOTH TRY
OUR HARDEST AND LEAVE HERE SAFE.
FORGIVE ME MY SINS
WHENEVER I FAIL YOU.
I LOVE YOU AND GIVE YOU ALL
HONOR AND GLORY, IN JESUS' NAME.
AMEN."
MY MESSAGE TO OTHERS IS,
YOU KNOW, JUST HAVE FAITH.
YOU KNOW, GO OUT THERE AND
SEEK THE GOOD LORD, YOU KNOW.
TALK TO HIM.
READ YOUR BIBLE, YOU KNOW,
'CAUSE, WHEN YOU TALK
TO HIM, HE DOES LISTEN.
AND I THINK ONCE YOU-- ONCE YOU
GET REAL STRONG WITH THE LORD,
I THINK, THAT'S WHEN THE DEVIL
TRIES HARDER TO BREAK YOU UP,
YOU KNOW.
HE'S GETTIN'-- I THINK HE
JUST WORKS HARDER BECAUSE HE'S
GOIN' THROW MORE STUFF AT YOU.
BUT, YOU KNOW, MY MESSAGE
IS, JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST
KEEP YOUR FAITH NO MATTER
WHAT HAPPENS, YOU KNOW.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TRIALS
AND TRIBULATIONS THROUGH
YOUR LIFE, YOU KNOW.
PROBLEMS ARE GONNA COME AND GO
BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN-- IF YOU
JUST KEEP YOUR FAITH AND KNOW
WHERE YOUR HEART IS AT, THEN YOU
CAN COME THROUGH ANYTHING.
AND, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME WHEN I
GET OFF A BULL, I KNEEL DOWN AND
PRAY, AND I HOPE THAT SOMEONE
OUT THERE THAT'S AT A RODEO, YOU
KNOW...MAYBE DOESN'T KNOW THE
LORD OR HADN'T REALLY CARED
TO OR WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
HIM, THAT THEY SEE...WHAT?
"THIS GUY'S SUPPOSED TO
BE A BIG, TOUGH COWBOY?
HE'S KNEELING DOWN
AND GIVING THANKS?
YOU KNOW, THERE'S
SOMETHIN' THERE."
AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE
THAT WILL INSPIRE SOMEBODY TO
REALLY COME AND SEEK THE LORD.
[ ANNOUNCERS ]
>> C'MON MATT AUSTIN!
YES!
MATT AUSTIN!
HEY!
>> (MATT AUSTIN) WELL, I
ALWAYS LOOKED UP TO GUYS LIKE
DONNIE GAY AND TUFF HEDEMAN AND
LANE FROST AND BRENT THURMAN
AND THOSE TYPE OF GUYS BUT, UH,
MY MAIN HERO HAS BEEN MY DAD.
UH, YOU KNOW, HE'S BEEN
THERE FOR ME THE WHOLE TIME.
HE'S-- HE'S TAUGHT ME
EVERYTHING THAT I KNOW.
YOU KNOW, NOT JUST
ABOUT BULL RIDING BUT ABOUT
WORKING AND EVERY DAY AND
LIFE AND, YOU KNOW, AND GOD.
AND HIS FAITH IS
JUST PHENOMENAL.
I'VE NEVER SEEN MY
DAD HAVE A BAD DAY.
UH, HE'S ALWAYS
SMILIN', YOU KNOW.
THERE'S NEVER NO PROBLEMS.
HE'S ALWAYS GOT A SOLUTION.
AND, YOU KNOW, I LOOK UP TO HIM.
I CAN-- HE'S SOMEONE
THAT I CAN TALK TO.
I MEAN, NOT ONLY IS HE
MY DAD BUT, YOU KNOW,
HE'S MY BEST FRIEND.
YOU KNOW, I CAN TALK
TO HIM ABOUT ANYTHING.
AND, YOU KNOW, I
JUST-- HE'S MY HERO.
AND HE'LL STILL GET ON A
BULL EVERY NOW AND AGAIN.
AND HE THINKS HE'S TRYIN' TO
KEEP UP WITH ME IS WHAT HE
THINKS.
[ ANNOUNCER ]
>> HE GIVES THE GLORY TO GOD!
YOU GIVE THE GLORY TO
MATT AUSTIN!
>> (MATT AUSTIN) MY MESSAGE IS
TO EVERYONE TO SEEK GOD 'CAUSE
WITH HIM YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS;
WITHOUT HIM YOU CAN DO NOTHING.
I BELIEVE IN SETTIN' GOALS.
SETTING GOALS IS LIKE
A LADDER. ONCE YOU ACHIEVE
ONE, YOU TAKE ANOTHER
STEP AND GO UP THE LADDER.
I THINK GOALS ARE GREAT.
IT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED AND GIVES
YOU SOMETHIN' TO SHOOT AT.
AS I TOLD KIDS BEFORE, YOU KNOW,
WHEN THEY ASK ME, "HOW CAN YOU--
HOW CAN I BECOME A BULL RIDER OR
WORLD'S CHAMPION?"
THE ONLY THING I TELL 'EM IS TO
HAVE FAITH AND JUST GIVE IT
EVERYTHING YOU GOT EVERY TIME
BECAUSE, IF YOU CAN SAY THAT YOU
GAVE IT EVERYTHING THAT YOU
HAD AND WHEN YOU HAD A CHANCE
AND YOU TRULY HAVE GOD IN YOUR
HEART, THAT'S WHEN THE REAL
WORLD'S CHAMPION IS.
[ MUSIC ]
[ ANNOUNCER ]
>> C'MON, C'MON,
C'MON, LET'S GO!
YOU GOTTA RIDE!
IT'S RODEO'S NUMBER
ONE BULL RIDER!
[ MUSIC CONTINUES ]
[ ANNOUNCER ]
>> HE GIVES THE GLORY TO
GOD! YOU GIVE THE GLORY TO
MATT AUSTIN!
[ MUSIC CONTINUES ]
[ ANNOUNCERS ]
>> C'MON!
YES!
THAT'S HOW HE DOES IT.
MATT AUSTIN!
HEY!
YES!
LOOK IT!
RIDE WITH HIM!
RIDE MATTHEW!