Paul Wrenn: Mighty Man of Faith

As mentioned on my other blog, I had the privilege of meeting Paul Wrenn a few days ago.  Paul is a legend in the powerlifting world.  He won a national title in 1981, setting a world record in the squat--975 lb!  He went on to win the World Powerlifting Championship in Calcutta, India with a combined bench press, squat, and dead lift of 2,343 lbs.  The October 2008 issue of Powerlifting USA ranked Wrenn the sixth best superheavyweight of all-time.

Paul is now 61, but doesn't seem to be slowing down.  He still competes in the master's level competitions.  He performs feats of strength as part of an evangelistic presentation:

 

He drove a nail through two boards with one powerful blow from his bare hand (well, I think he used a cloth to grip it, but the point is he had no hammer).  

He also lifted me up from the floor using a harness attached to his neck.  I wasn't much of a challenge for him, but I was one of the heaviest bodies he could find.

  

Paul shared his testimony:  "My world title did not compare to the thrill and joy of knowing Jesus Christ as my personal savior."

 

Paul concluded his presentations by showing the strength of his abdominal muscles.  He had a couple of volunteers punch him with all their might, and one jumped on his stomach from stacked chairs (both were harmless).  He concluded the show by having concrete blocks broken on his stomach.

Paul Wrenn's faith and strength inspire me!