Let’s Play Ball

Nervously shifting on the bench in the dugout, he waits for his turn at bat. His neck working extra hard to keep his helmet on top of his head, he grabs his oversized baseball bat and heads on to the field. The bases are loaded, and his team needs to get one more run to tie up the game. As he gets to the home plate all the nerves and worries in his mind seem to double. He hears his dad proudly call out from the stands, “Hit a home run son!” At first he was just hoping to be able to hit the ball, but now he doesn’t want to disappoint his dad by not hitting a home run. Next, he makes the mistake of looking back to the dugout and sees all his teammates’ eyes glued to him. At that moment he realizes that each of his teammates are relying on his performance for his team to win. The pressure just keeps mounting as he sees the ball leave the pitcher's hand.

A little kid with oversized gear and a nervous smile as he gets ready for his sporting event is a common scene in our culture today. No matter what sport, everyone can picture that little kid feeling the pressure of the moment, whether you’ve experienced it yourself or you’ve seen a kid go through it. Why is there so much pressure put on these children? When did sports shift from a fun learning experience to a mandate for kids to get a college scholarship or to try and be perfect? God gave us sports for a reason, just as He has given us pretty flowers and beautiful sunsets to enjoy. God has given us a gift. God has not intended for sports to be a place where children question their worth or try to gain approval and love from their parents, teammates, and coaches. God does not want us to be chained to the gifts He’s given us, He wants us to be stewards of them; when we walk in His freedom and live how He has called us, that is when we will watch children regain their love and joy for the gift of sports that God has given us. If we steward them well, we can have a ripple effect on our families, our communities, our cities, and our world. When considering the prevalent topic of youth sports in America today, Christian families must consider how to best steward their time and money with the gift of sports that God has given us. Youth sports can be used as a tool to teach kids valuable lessons about themselves, lessons about our Creator, and as an avenue to spread the gospel.

It is important to keep three things in mind when discussing the potential benefits and cautions for Christians with youth sports. First, Christians need to consider how relevant youth sports are in our world today. Abby Perry, in an article from the Faith and Sports Institute,  emphasizes how youth sports are taking over our time and finances,  she explains that “youth sports have become a $37 billion industry in the United States” (Perry). Whether you are involved in youth sports or not, the fact that it is a $37 billion industry means that it is prevalent in our communities and that as Christians we must have knowledge of the impact it  has on our children. When an industry becomes this big in our country, it is bound to have an influence. As Christians, we must equip ourselves to interact with this massive industry that is influencing our youth.

Second, we must remember that God, in His sovereignty, has given His creation many gifts. The Apostle Peter, discusses the gifts God has given us and how we are called to use our gifts. In 1 Peter 4:10-11 he says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (ESV). God calls His people to use the gifts He has blessed us with to serve others, not ourselves. The gifts we are given are never intended for selfish gain. In his book, Time Out, John Perritt discusses the idea of biblical stewardship. Perritt explains that “Stewardship recognizes a Creator and all things flowing from that Creator…” (Perritt 32). It is important for Christians to understand stewardship and how being a steward for God should change every part of our lives. The idea of being a faithful steward for the Lord should be viewed as an opportunity to bring honor and glory to God. Since our Creator has given us everything we have, we are called to use all that we have for His glory. We should long to bring our gifts and abilities as an offering to the Lord. When looking at the role youth sports should have in our lives the objective is no different.

Third, it is essential for Christians to remember that sports are not the issue, it is how we choose to participate in them that makes them life-giving or life-draining. C.J. Mahaney, pastor of Sovereign Grace Church in Louisville, gives insight into how Christians should interact with youth sports in a series of articles, the first one titled, “Don’t Waste Your Sports, Part 1: Sports at Their Best—And Worst.” He writes, “Sports are a gift from God. But as soon as you introduce the human heart, things get complicated.” (Mahaney). As a result of the fall, our human desires are tempted to take a good gift God has given us and use it for our own glory instead of God’s. When we do this we not only dishonor God, but we also fail to enjoy the gift He has given us to its full potential. When we fail to give our sports back to the Father, we fall into the trap of thinking that we can do it on our own.

Christian families have many things to consider when discussing the correct approach to intersecting with youth sports. First, it is important for families to understand and acknowledge the benefits that sports can have for children at such a young age. There are three main benefits for children when diving into the positive effects of youth sports for children: Sports can teach children lessons that transcend their development as an athlete, sports can teach us how to compete, and sports open a brand new mission field for young children to shine God’s light. Second, parents must realize the immense impact they have on their children. Parents can set their children up for an enjoyable youth sports experience by encouraging and fostering their child’s passion for their sport, emphasizing their character as an athlete over their performance, and living a life of intentional prayer for God to provide wisdom and discernment in how to handle youth sports in our ever-changing world. Lastly, it is necessary to recognize the cautions for both children and parents when involved in youth sports. These cautions include, sports becoming an idol, sports becoming our identity, and sports becoming our source of fulfillment. Gaining a better understanding of these complex aspects of youth sports, Christian parents will be better equipped to raise strong and faithful children who are willing to stand out from the world around them in how they view and interact with youth sports, leading to furthering God’s kingdom.

One of the benefits of youth sports is that they have the opportunity to teach kids lessons that will transcend sports and can have a major impact on their life. When children keep an eternal perspective with their sports, the wins and losses do not carry the same weight. The better children understand that their life is renewed through Christ, the less they will be affected by the challenges thrown at them throughout their life. Youth sports provide a great opportunity to teach children how to steward the gifts God has gifted them. The lessons that children can learn through sports are lessons that can serve them for the rest of their lives. Sports help teach kids about hard work, dedication, teamwork, all of which are beneficial far beyond their athletic careers.

Additionally, children can gain wisdom from other athletes. Tom Brady, known to be one of the greatest NFL quarterbacks of all time, stands as a testament to the fleeting nature of sports. He has achieved what every football player dreams of: winning the Super Bowl. Not only has he achieved the highest victory of winning a superbowl, but he has won it seven times. His seven Super Bowl victories makes him the quarterback with the most Super Bowl wins in NFL history. Although Brady has had so much success, he still is not satisfied. John Perritt discusses Brady’s success and dissatisfaction in his book, Time Out, when he says, “Yet here is [Tom Brady] who has been on the other side telling us [success] isn’t enough. It will not bring fulfillment. It cannot” (31). Tom Brady, who has reached the ultimate goal for a football player, tells us that it does not fulfill him. Children in youth sports can learn a valuable lesson from a professional athlete like Brady. Even though Brady does not directly mention Christ or faith, he alludes to desiring something bigger, something beyond himself; he desires something eternal. Through Brady’s story, children can learn how sports are temporary, but God is eternal.

Another professional football player, Ben Utecht, is an example of how we, as Christians, can use our sports to strengthen and grow our faith. Utecht writes about his football career and setbacks and achievements as a Christian. In an article discussing his book, he talks about his injuries during his career and how God used his injuries and setbacks to refine his faith. Utecht says, “I’ve always believed that the Lord used injuries in my life to bring me closer to Him. I often refer to my injuries as my ‘Paul’s thorn.’ Paul was allowed to have that thorn in his side, and Paul said in scripture it was the Lord’s way of teaching him surrender, of always keeping him close” (Marino). God uses our failures, our success, our injuries, and our medals to help us continue to grow in Him. Our job is to look to Him and seek Him in the midst of it all, so that we can show a watching world what it looks like to walk beside our Heavenly Father daily. Youth sports are a valuable tool for kids to be able to learn and grow not only in the sport they play, but to also learn and grow their faith and reliance on the Lord.

Youth sports also create an opportunity to teach children how to compete. Participation in sports at a young age helps to grow a child’s understanding in how to have good sportsmanship, whether you win or lose. Competition is not a bad thing, in fact, it is good and healthy for Christians to want to compete. It is how we view competition that makes it good or bad. Children should want to work hard and win. However, the desire to want to win should never overshadow our desire to honor God. When the people around a kid in sports puts the emphasis on their child’s attitude, sportsmanship, integrity, and effort instead of the wins and loses, this helps to teach kids the importance of healthy competition. Putting the focus on things that are in their kid’s control and that are important for their child’s character, not on the outcome of the game. Having the ability to teach a child this healthy view of competition at such a young age through sports is one of the many benefits of youth sports.

Parents have a unique opportunity to teach their children through the gift of youth sports. Abby Perry discusses the impact parents can have on their children through their sports in her article “Feeling Torn Between Church and Youth Sports.” According to Perry, youth sports open the door for parents to teach lessons to their children and help children find a balance between their athletic and spiritual life (Perry). She explains how parents can achieve this balance stating that “...every car ride doesn’t need to be a Bible lesson. The fabric of everyday moments—carpool singalongs, post-practice cheers, quiet reflections after a tough game—will naturally create transformative opportunities” (Perry). Every moment we have is an opportunity to worship. God has given us sports as a way to worship Him. We must use the little moments as opportunities to praise God.

Another major benefit to youth sports is that young athletes get the chance to enter the mission field and spread God’s love through their sport. Parents can help guide their children in how, as Christians, to interact with the world around them. They can show this by how they interact with difficult coaches, overbearing parents, or perceived bad calls by referees. Kids watch and learn from everything their parents do, so parents must be well equipped and intentional on how they interact with youth sports alongside their children. This presents parents with the unique opportunity to show their young children how to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the sports world. As Christians, we are called to go into the world and be a light for Christ. God calls His children to spread the good news and to be committed to the mission field. Youth sports need to have Christians who are willing to enter and spread the love of Jesus. Kids can bring a light to their fellow teammates and coaches and to the teams they play against. Displaying good sportsmanship and love can show the watching sports world what it means to serve Jesus. An article from J.D. Greear ministries explains that “Sports are not a means to an end; they are an opportunity to invest in a mission field. The more our kids see sports as opportunity, the less likely they will be to make it their identity (the same goes for us as parents)” (“How to Navigate Youth Sports”). This view of sports not only helps children to steward the gift of sports well, but also leads to children to be able to fully enjoy their sport the way God intended.

Tim Tebow, a top college quarterback and a former NFL player, exemplified how to use your sports platform to bring God glory. One of the ways he did this was by wearing John 3:16 across his eye black when he played in college. God used his willing and servant heart to do more than he could have imagined. Le-Jovale Vallejo writes about Tim Tebow after an exciting victory the Broncos had over the Steelers in his article titled, “Tim Tebow Tells The Story Of The John 3:16 ‘Coincidence.’” Vallejo talks about a conversation Tim Tebow had with his PR Manager. His manager first tells him, “It’s exactly three years later from the day that you wore John 3:16 under your eyes” (Vallejo). Next he goes on to tell Tebow his stats from the game, “During the game you threw for 316 yards, your yards per completion were 31.6, your yards per rush were 3.16, the ratings for the night were 31.6, and the time of possession was 31.06” (Vallejo). The most moving stat that Tebow’s manager shared with him at the end was that “...during the game 91 million people googled John 3:16 and it’s the number one trending thing on every platform” (Vallejo).  This is a perfect example of how, as athletes, we can use our platform for God’s glory. Without football Tim Tebow would not have been able to have the influence he had on millions of people.

Throughout Tebow’s willingness to be a vessel for God and through God’s miraculous work, what may have seemed to be just another football game turned into a nationwide story that spread the word of God to all watching. God works in the small things. He cares about the details. There is a reason all of Tim Tebow’s stats matched the number 316. God wants His children to use the gifts He has given us with open hands and a willing heart. When we do this, we have the potential to impact the world. God only asks for our fishes and loaves, He’ll take care of the five thousand.

Parents must be aware of how much effect they have on their child’s sports experience. Olympic gold medalist, Shawn Johnson East, discusses the role of parents in their child’s sport on her podcast with her husband, former NFL player, Andrew East. Their podcast episode titled, “the wrong way to do youth sports | couple things,” is meant to help parents best navigate youth sports with their kids. From her many years of competing in gymnastics and coaching she observes, “I've gotten to witness firsthand the difference between a kid who is naturally talented and either burns out or doesn't like it and a kid who is not naturally talented at their sport, but loves it so much that they end up being the ones who succeed” (19:48-20:05). The kids that are overwhelmed with their sport from a young age by those around them have a far less chance of enjoying their sport or succeeding in their sport. Parents must remember that it is their child’s sport, not their own. A child must have a passion for their sport in order to want to continue with it. Parents should help their child find their passions, not tell their child what they should do or what they are good at. The focus should not be on what sports a child is best at, but rather what sports brings the child joy and that they want to work hard at to get better.

The Easts continue to talk about the important role parents have in their child’s sports, providing a helpful perspective as previous youth athletes and as parents to three young children. Shawn Johnson explains how  “...what [parents] need to push [their kids] in is instilling confidence in them to want to go back out there and try harder next time” (29:58-30:09). She goes on to say how parents must “show [their children] that their worth is not in their sport, but [that] you’re proud of the effort they put in” (30:40-30:45). Johnson makes a strong emphasis on making sure the child knows that their worth is not dependent on their sports. She discusses how sports should be used to feed a child’s passions and can be used as a tool to help teach lessons. Sports should not be a place where a child finds their worth, it should be a place where a child learns and grows. Throughout their episode both Shawn and Andrew East emphasize how parents should focus on fostering their child's passions and helping them enjoy the gift of sports that God has given them.

The thousands of dollars that parents pour into their kids for their sports each year, cannot simply be spent just in hopes for their children to get a scholarship. Parents and their children must take the time to intentionally figure out what role they think would be best for sports in their child’s life. Families must remember that God has called us to steward all things for His glory. When parents willingly spend money on their child’s sports because they are hoping to get the return of a college scholarship, this creates a confusing worldview for their children. Instead, parents should focus on the outcome of sports teaching their kids how to be better people, not just better athletes. Money is not eternal, but the ability sports have to better a young child’s character can have eternal impacts on them. In Matthew chapter 6 Matthew emphasizes the importance of keeping an eternal perspective. In verses 19 and 20 he writes, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (NIV). Knowing this view of earthly materials, families should help encourage their kids in their sport not for scholarships or medals, but instead to help them build their character and learn powerful lessons.

Sports are most beneficial and God-honoring when parents help to emphasize the importance of the lessons their children learn from sports instead of their performance. Abby Perry, author of an article from the Faith and Sports Institute, talks about the opportunities sports give us to draw near to God. She explains how we can bring God alongside us, even in what we think is small or insignificant. God wants us to obey Him in every aspect of our lives. Sports give us a great opportunity to bring God glory through victory, loss, hardship, frustrations, celebrations, exhaustion, and achievements. Explaining how this could practically happen, Perry says, “Early morning swim meets offer an opportunity to ‘do everything without grumbling or arguing’ (Phil. 2:14), for both athlete and parent.” Sports can teach us about our faith and grow our relationship with our Creator if we steward the gift of sports well.

Navigating involvement in youth sports for Christian families is complicated. Every family is different and one list of rules will not apply to each family the same. The complexity of navigating youth sports is why it is vital for parents to consistently come before our Heavenly Father and ask for guidance, wisdom, and discernment. An article by J.D. Greear Ministries explains this well, “Every decision we make when it comes to sports will have a lasting impact on our kids, so we should start with prayer. Remember, the goal is not to have a great and successful athlete but a faithful follower of Christ. Let’s not hold up the idol of sports for our kids to bow down to but instead show them a Savior to hold onto” (“How to Navigate Youth Sports”). We must not let the power and importance of prayer get lost on us. Our world tries to push us to believe that we must do everything on our own. All culture tries to put all the weight of failure and success on the individual, even eight-year-old kids playing little league baseball. The culture tries to tell us that if we fail, we weren’t working hard enough or preparing well enough. The culture also tries to tell us that if we succeed, we should have pride in ourselves. This false view of failure and success leads to children building their worldviews on the lies of failure and success that they are being taught through worldly youth sports.

Parents also are given the opportunity to teach their child how they can better bring their faith into every part of their life. Our faith is not supposed to be lived only when sitting on a church pew. Our faith is meant to be lived out throughout the week, through the mundane. God cares just as much about the small moments in our life as He does the big milestones. It is important for Christians to realize that time in sports does not have to take away from your faith, but instead it can strengthen your faith. Your sport can be a place to live out the good news of the gospel. We must remember that sports and faith do not live in opposition to each other, rather God has given us sports as a tool to glorify Him and spread His joy. One of the ways we are able to use sports as an avenue to glorify our Father is through thoughtful and intentional prayer. As Christians, through Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection on the cross, we have access to our Heavenly Father. So, when diving into the discussion of how a Christian should view and interact with youth sports, we must start with prayer. Prayer for wisdom, prayer for discernment, prayer for refinement, prayer for being able to spread the gospel, we must fall at our Heavenly Father’s knees and ask Him to help us walk in His ways. When we freely give all that we have back to our Father, we have the freedom of not being broken hearted when things are taken from us, afterall, it was never ours to begin with.

John Perritt warns families of the danger of sports becoming an idol for kids. He outlines the ways that children can protect themselves from this in his book Time Out. He explains that “By knowing [God] and worshiping Him more fully, we will begin to worship sports less and enjoy them on a deeper level” (Perritt 41). Kids should be consumed with worshipping Jesus, so they are filled with Jesus, leaving less room to worship sports. Kids should fix their eyes on Jesus so that everything else seems less significant. The more we run after Jesus, the less the distractions of this world will affect us and the more we will be able to enjoy the gifts God has given us. Jesus frees us from the weight of putting our identity in our performance. Afterall, we are designed to worship, so if we are not worshipping Christ, we are worshiping whatever else is consuming the most of our time and energy and thoughts. Children must be cautious of their heart posture and parents must remember to help their children keep God at the top of the priority list.

Perritt continues the discussion of youth sports from a Christian perspective and talks about the role of God’s grace. It is all through God’s grace that we are given things like sports to enjoy. John Perritt talks about the remarkable grace and generosity of God and says, “God gave us sports…He owed us nothing…Grace gives you what you don’t deserve. In many ways grace doesn’t make sense. And, sports illustrate the fact that God is gracious” (Perritt 29). God gives us gifts even though we don’t deserve them; His grace has given us the freedom to enjoy and participate in sports and gives us an opportunity to showcase His love and glory for the world around us. How selfish of us to let sports become an idol in our lives? God has given us this joyful and wonderful gift to experience, all He asks is that we recognize Him as the Creator and give Him the honor He deserves.

God wants His children to find joy in their lives. He longs for us to experience the joys of the things He has given us. If He did not desire that, He would not have given us beautiful sunsets to enjoy. He would not have created the animals we love or the fields of wildflowers we find beauty in. It is evident from the start of creation that God, in His immense grace, longs for us to delight in what He has given us. I think the same goes for how we should view youth sports. We should delight in the opportunity to be able to find joy and community through sports. We should praise God for giving us sports as a way to strengthen teamwork and work ethic and passion. If a child is passionate about a sport, we should come around that child and help them use their passion in a way that honors our Heavenly Father. God delights in His children learning more about Him through what He has given us, like sports. For example, when youth athletes come alongside each other and encourage one another to accomplish a goal as a team, this reflects how God longs for his children to come together to spread His kingdom. There are many lessons learned in youth sports that parallel those of the Bible.

There are cautions for children that participate in youth sports. One of the cautions is that when children begin to play a sport at a young age, it can be easy for their identity to get wrapped up in their sport. Whether this means they put their worth on if their coach likes them or not, or if they determine their worth on if they perform well or not. Or if they look to see if their teammates approve of them or not as a determining factor of whether or not they are worthy to be loved. All of these conditional beliefs involving a child’s identity are not as God intended. When a child’s identity is lost in their sport, they are unable to enjoy the sport as our Creator intended. When we do not look to the Creator for the instructions on how to steward the gifts He has given us, we will not enjoy the gifts to their fullest.

If a child’s identity is fully connected to their performance they will receive temporary happiness with each victory and devastating emptiness with each defeat. Children are only able to truly enjoy the gift of sports when they are able to be set free from the chains of victory and defeat. The only way that children are able to break these chains is to come to the cross. Ranjit David writes in an article from the Gospel Coalition, “It is this supreme act on the cross that sets us free from being a slave to the idol of winning” (David). When children are living in the freedom Jesus offers, they will thrive more in their sports. The more children thrive in their sports through Jesus, the more they are able to be a light for Jesus. When their teammates see them not shattered by losses, it will give the child an opportunity to share the life and love and security found in Jesus.

Additionally, if children want to find the most joy in their sport they must remember to keep it in its place. God created all things and He has given us all that we have. So, children can only enjoy sports to the fullest when they keep God first, not their sport. There is a reason God has given us the gift of sports and the ability to participate in sports. In order to compete in sports with freedom and joy, we must recognize that Jesus has set us free. Competition can tear children a part when our full dependence is on the outcome of the competition. Ranjit David discusses how Christians should interact with competition in his article on the Gospel Coalition. David explains that “The solution is not to eliminate competition but to recognise that our hearts are tempted to make an idol out of winning. When our identity is wrapped around this sole prize, we will feel ashamed and disappointed when we lose” (“How Can Christians Be Christlike in Competition?”). When children are so focused on the grace that they have been given through Jesus’ death on the cross, losses are not as crushing and the victories are not as ego boosting.

Children and parents must also be aware that sports cannot fulfill us. No matter how much success a child finds in their sports, it will not be enough to maintain true joy and satisfaction. There is a temptation for children to think that if they just try a little harder, or win enough medals that they will be satisfied. However, this is far from the truth. There is no amount of wins, or awards that will truly satisfy the desire to prove to ourselves or others that we are good enough. We can only be satisfied through Christ. Christian families must remember that sports by themselves cannot bring fulfillment for their kids.

A.J. Brown, current Super Bowl champion Wide Receiver, explains the temporary fulfillment of sports. He discusses the feeling of his victory a few days after the big game on his instagram post. Brown wrote, “After a few days, I’ve had time to reflect on being a champion…I tried to feel how everyone made it seem to be a champion and unfortunately it was short lived…two days to be exact…” (@1k_alwaysopen). Eagles top Receiver explains how even though he achieved the highest accomplishment in football, it only temporally fulfilled him. This shows that no matter how much we think that a good performance, victory, or trophy will fulfill us, it won’t; it can’t. Brown continues to talk about his feelings after the championship, he writes, “I’ve never been a champion at the highest level before but I thought my hard work would be justified by winning it all. It wasn’t” (@1k_alwaysopen.). Athletes, from youth athletes to professional athletes, have this false idea that victory will bring happiness. Everyone thinks this, but then the great athletes among us who have achieved the highest victories tell us that it is not like that expected. Instead of being fulfilled, joyful, and satisfied, they are left, empty, confused, and dissatisfied. This is because we were not made to be fulfilled through scoring more points than another team in a sports game. We were made to worship our Creator. Whether people acknowledge it or not, there is a deep longing within each of us that longs to worship and longs to find a great purpose.

Lead pastor of New Hope Christian Church, Rob Jankowski, also discusses the truth of how only God can fulfill us. He preached a sermon on wisdom from James chapter 3. As he preached on Godly vs. earthly wisdom, he discussed how only God can satisfy us. He also discusses how earthly treasures can not satisfy us. He explained how he was met with many successful people, who have many earthly treasures, but still explain how they are not fulfilled. From his experience talking with professional athletes, he said, “I’ve sat with…a few of the people in the church who have reached the absolute pinnacle of the sports world. They’ve achieved it; they won…they told me…it doesn't deliver. The very next day after the celebration everybody goes back to work. Everything you thought your whole life was leading up to, it over promised and it under delivered.” (Jankowski). The athletes who have reached the goal that many little kids have, tell us that success does not fulfill. Little kids need to know that making that team, winning that game, or getting that scholarship, will not satisfy them. Although they may have temporary happiness, it will fade faster than they are ready for.

The same little boy sits on the bench in the dugout. Instead of the nerves and uncertainty, he is excited and confident. But why? The bases are still loaded and his team still needs another run to tie up the game. The difference is not the circumstance he is in, the difference is his perspective. Instead of the outcome of this game weighing him down like his oversized gear, he views it as an opportunity to get better and have fun. His dad offers him a helpful reminder from the stands, “try your best son!” This time he confidently gets up and walks out for his turn at bat. His head held high, ready to take a swing. He grabs his bat and heads to the field. As he walks on the field he hears the chorus of his teammates encouraging him from the dugout, their cheers bring a smile to his face. As he focuses his eyes on the ball in the pitcher's hand, he swings with the freedom that whether a home run or a strike out, he knows who the victory belongs to. He has a new found strength in his swing because he knows that this home plate is not his home, the arms of Jesus are. Now he is not worried about success, he’s more concerned with growing through the sport God has given him and helping others experience the freedom and true enjoyment that comes with serving a God who sees and knows and cares.

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Marino, Abby. “Former NFL Player Shares How God Used Injuries to Work in His Life” Transform. August 17, 2016. /transformmn.org/former-nfl-player-shares-how-god-used-injuries-to-work-in- his-life/.

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Perry, Abby. “Feeling Torn Between Church and Youth Sports?” Faith and Sports Institute. Creative Studio. March 4, 2024. www.christianitytoday.com/partners/faith-sports-institute/feeling- torn-between- church-and-youth-sports/.

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Vallejo, Le-Jovale. “Tim Tebow Tells The Story Of The John 3:16 ‘Coincidence’” Christian Learning. June 12, 2023. christianlearning.com/tim-tebow-tells-the-story-of-the-john-316-coincidence/.

“Why Kids Quit Sports by Age 11: Understanding the Challenges and Solutions” Fierce United. May 13, 2023. fierceunited.com/post/kids-quit-sports-by-age-11?.

Zylstra, Sarah Eekhoff, and Ross Douma. “Why We Pulled Our Kids from Club Sports” The Gospel Coalition. January 4, 2024. thegospelcoalition.org/article/pulled-kids-club-sports/.