Read a Feb. 6, 2013, story published by BigThink.com that compares religion and the spectacle of sports.

Read a Jan. 13, 2013, story published by Slate about a survey released by the Public Religion Research Institute that found 27 percent of Americans think that a higher power plays some role in deciding who will win sporting events.

Jocelyn Green is the author of the 2009 book Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives. Her husband is a former member of the U.S. Coast Guard. She lives in Cedar Falls, Ia.

Operation So Help Me God Project was founded by Brian Bohlman, a veteran and chaplain in the Air National Guard.

Military Ministry is part of Campus Crusade for Christ International. It evangelizes and provides spiritual support to chaplains, members of the military and their families.

The Coming Home Project in San Francisco was developed by clinical psychologist and Zen teacher Joseph Bobrow to support armed service members returning from combat and their families. Contact through their website.

Cadence International in Englewood, Colo., operates a variety of Christian ministries, including hospitality, for service members and their families. It operates on three continents, including locations in the United States. David Schroeder is president.

The Maryland National Guard works with a network of churches to support guard members and their families during and after active service.

The Archdiocese for the Military Services USA, which has its headquarters in Washington, D.C., includes 1.4 million Catholic military personnel and families. Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio heads the archdiocese.