James P. Gills, M.D.

Though he never ran any marathons, swam against the surf, or pedaled a bicycle, Samson was a legendary Old Testament iron man. And what person familiar with his infamous haircut, subsequent blinding, and hard labor could forget his quiet moment of prayer and power between two stone pillars?

Colossal faith and strength like Samson's still surface in history.

Operating, researching, writing books and articles, supporting medical missions to developing countries, breaking triathlon records--61 -year-old James P. Gills, M.D., may be a modern contender. Unlike Samson, though, his notoriety lacks tragic dimensions, and he's not blind. Rather, he's an eye surgeon, internationally recognized as an authority on cataract extractions, who's performed more cataract and intraocular lens implant surgeries than anyone else in the world. With deft hands, he restores sight to thousands at St. Luke's Cataract and Laser Institute, a center he founded 27 years ago 20 miles north of St. Petersburg, Florida.

His reputation for performing numerous surgeries daily, as well as training for Ironman Triathlons, Double-Iron Triathlons, and Boston Marathons, may make Gills more like the apostle Paul in his phenomenal desire and ability to "press on." As owner of the World Triathlon Corporation, which operates out of Florida and Hawaii, he undoubtedly leads the organization by example. Not surprisingly, the national Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Athletes International Ministries have recognized and awarded the intensity with which Gills integrates fitness and Christian faith.

Gills uses races as motivation. "If I didn't have a goal to work toward, I could easily go slack in training," he says. Gills keeps his six-foot-one-inch, 170-pound physique rock solid with lower impact conditioning like swimming, cycling, and resistance training. His day begins at 5:00 a.m. with a workout at home where he has a complete Nautilus gym and maintains a one-lane pool for lap swimming. After working out, he spends 1 5 minutes in prayer and then bikes 12 miles to work. By 7:00 a.m. he has lifted weights again at work, to meet patients and perform surgeries.

Granted, few people possess such stamina. Yet, lest you think Gills a model of natural perfection, about 20 years a he described himself as overweight, a "puffed-up frog."

"I started my physical program of running and my search for the Lord at the same time," Gills explains. "My communion with the Lord and my ability to endure in running, bicycling, and swimming have increased proportionately."

Sure, he's an iron man with uncommon reserves of physical energy and unswerving discipline. "He's done so much training," says Heather, his wife of 33 years. "I think he must have blood vessels the size of water hoses." Yet Gills' display of strength, like Samson's, apparently originates first in the connection mortals make with God, the Life-giver.

Pam Mellskog is a freelance writer living in Minneapolis Minnesota.