Why are relationships so difficult? Whether you're single, dating, engaged, or even married - I think at some point, we have all had questions of what it looks like to pursue a relationship, with God at the center.
I sat down with my wife, Grace, and special guest and friend, Andy Archer, to talk through some of the real questions and challenges that we were faced with during all stages of our relationship - as well as what God taught us throughout each stage. While we know we don't have all the answers, we felt led to address some of the real questions that our generation has surrounding relationships.
Grace and I start from the beginning and talk through the evaluation and pursuit stages of our relationship and all the way through engagement and into marriage. Like everything else in our lives, when we invite the Lord in, we allow him to work in incredible ways.
Special thanks to Andy for facilitating the discussion! Tune in next week to hear my powerful conversation with him!
Kerry Carpenter led all of minor league baseball in homeruns in 2022, ultimately getting the call up to the Detroit Tigers, making his major league debut after the all-star break. He quickly became one of the top prospects in all of professional baseball. But as he shot up the ranks in the minor leagues and onto the scene with the Detroit Tigers, it's his faith that has gotten the attention of so many.
Kerry shares his powerful testimony of what it took for God to bring him to the foot of the cross. Kerry speaks with humility and kindness, but radiates his passion for Jesus in everything that he does. His story is a reminder of the power, peace, and hope that we have, when we choose to enter into a relationship with Jesus.
Welcome Back! It's been way too long, but I'm so excited to launch Season 2 of the CAP!
Isaiah 43:19 says "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."
I'm so excited for what Season 2 has in store and I can confidently say that He is doing a new thing! But I also think this verse speaks well into today's episode. Newly re-named, Grace METZ, joins the podcast to share her testimony of growing up playing every sport under the sun and shares an incredibly relatable testimony of what it looks like to go from secular darkness to living in the light of the glory of God. Grace articulately describes her push and pull relationship with God and what it finally took to pursue a lasting and intimate relationship with Jesus.
I think so often we draw near to God when times are difficult, but rely on ourselves when times are good. This merry-go round of a relationship with God is exhausting and draining and not at all the kind of relationship that God desires FOR us and WITH us. Grace's testimony shares relatable and practical tips for how to enter into a lasting and fulfilling relationship with Jesus Christ.
The Title IX legislation is in the process of trying to be changed - so what is happening and what do believers need to know? We are joined by a special guest to walk through what this means for high school and collegiate athletics, and how this proposed change will alter the landscape of athletics forever.
We take a biblical look at whether this proposed change is biblical, and what God's word tells us for how we should proclaim truth, even in the face of intense opposition.
How do we find the balance between rest and hard work? The Bible says a lot about both, but how do we know which one we need? In this episode, I sat down with Track athlete Jacob Snyder where we talk about what that balance looks like.
Hard work seems to be a phrase athletes constantly hear, are pushed to reach, but find that enough is never really enough. And what about when our "rest" turns into 3 months of couch potato-ing. Does this balance even exist?
In this episode, we find that the self-determination to accomplish a physical goal can be directly translated into the consistency that our walk with the Lord should have. We find that when we keep God at the center, He is the one who establishes our steps. Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths."
'If I told you my story... you would hear life, but it wasn't mine.'
In this episode, I took this opportunity to share a part of my own story. I officially wrapped up my college athletic career and when I look back at where I started to where I finished, I'm left in awe of our Almighty God and the work that he allowed me to be a part of. God blessed me beyond belief throughout my career - but when I look at the legacy I get to leave, it has very little to do with the mark I left on the field.
I didn't always do it right and I didn't always do it well, but praise God for a Heavenly Father who chooses to use us in spite of our weaknesses - because in our weakness, his power is made perfect (2 Cor 12:9).
I hope you're encouraged by my story, but most of all, I hope you're able to see deeper into who our Heavenly Father is and his perfect love - continually reaching out to us.
Song Quoted: My Story - Big Daddy Weave
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1 Peter 1:7 says that your FAITH is more precious than GOLD... Woah. Of all the things we have ever worked for as athletes and in life, Jesus says that our faith should be at the top of the list.
I was able to sit down with 1st Lieutenant Riley Compton, where she shares part of her testimony from College Softball, to the Marines, to now competing for Team USA in Bobsled. However, of all the awards, achievements, and personal successes, Riley shares how they all fall short of the glory of God. She shares what she has learned in each season of life, and how God has used the different seasons to reveal more about who He is.
This is a conversation you won't want to miss! Make you sure you check it out and follow her on Instagram @ri.compton
Leaving for college, I thought I was ready for the new freedoms and new responsibility that come with "The College Life." And although it may not surprise anyone to learn that college parties do exist, and college kids love their booze, I found that I had been severely underprepared to defend my beliefs and choices, without any Biblical context to support my decisions. While a party and alcohol may not be unique to collegiate athletics, it seems to be a decision that at some point we are all forced to make. This episode uses Biblical evidence to better understand how his word should guide our decisions. So often we think of our faith as a list of "Do's and Don'ts", but when we dive deeper into what God truly wants FOR us, we find that a true love relationship with Jesus doesn't leave us in a gray area, more confused than when we started, but rather turns our hearts toward the things that God cares about.
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God has a funny way of giving us what we need, seemingly right when we need it. I sat down with Liberty University freshman catcher, Ryan Shieh, and talked about how God got his attention, right when he needed it most. Ryan - a true freshman entering into his first season of College Baseball, is also the author of TWO books (working on a third!), with his newest book out "Restart: Finding Your Purpose Through Christ." In today's episode, we talk about how God led him to write a book, what he's learned through it, and what God is currently teaching him in this new season within College Athletics.
A fellow podcaster joins us! Ken Burke, a senior outfielder at Covenant College in Georgia joins The Christian Athlete Paradox to talk about his own podcast Competing for Christ, and his time as a Collegiate Athlete. Ken gives us a deeper look into his own faith walk and how God has used his trials and tribulations to propel him into an intimate relationship with the Lord.
Making our campus, our teams, and our sport our mission field is not easy, but God's word guides us into how we're called to oppose the societal paradox between Christianity and Athletics, and truly compete in a manner that Christ be magnified.
On this episode of The Christian Athlete Paradox, Ryan talks with Adam and Lesley Clapp, FCA Chaplains with schools in the New River Valley in southwest Virginia. Adam and Lesley’s mission, through FCA, is to use sports to spread the Gospel. Together, they dive deeper into the podcast theme, disproving the paradoxical relationship between Christianity and Athletics.
If you would like to donate to Adam and Lesley, click here.
To learn more about the Gospel, visit FCA's website at thefour.fca.org
As athletes, we would never walk into competition without some knowledge of who we are competing against. The more knowledge we have against our opponents, the better success we can have against their game plans. And yet our walks with God are no different. In this episode, Cam Dobbs from the University of Miami joins the podcast to dive deeper into her own story and fight through mental health, what she has learned through it, and how we all can oppose the schemes and lies that the enemy uses, diverting us from a true relationship with Jesus Christ.
No matter where you are in the world, Football is still Football, Baseball is still Baseball, and the Gospel is still the Gospel. The Head Coach of the Belgian National Team, Spencer Ferrari-Wood joins The Christian Athlete Paradox in helping us break down why, despite our cultural and geographical differences, the Bible remains relevant to everyone. Spencer breaks down how we, as Christians, can use our sports as an avenue to show Jesus, the simplicity of the Gospel, and what it means to have “stacking faith.”
Leadership is an ongoing discussion, and Leadership within Athletics is as big of topic as any. But Is it really Biblical? Fellow Collegiate Athlete Lauryn Parrish joins the podcast with Ryan to talk about what's she's learned about Leadership and how her faith plays a role in everything she does. Her talent and work ethic may have caught the attention of those around her, but that's not the attention she's seeking. Lauryn talks about what she's learned through following Jesus, and that in order to lead well, we must first serve - just as Christ did for us.
A new 5 minute segment, "The Pregame," is aimed to give listeners something to think about throughout the day and week. This episode focuses in on God's faithfulness. We often misinterpret God's impact on our lives according to whether we get what we want or not, but in reality, God is always faithful, but when his plan doesn't look like our plan, we're quick to call ourselves abandoned. In whatever you're going through right now - injuries, a tough semester, not performing at the level you had hoped, God is still with us and he is still good. Ryan and a new guest, Matthew Silvering, take a quick look at what God actually promises us, and how his promises are proved true everyday.
This episodes guest, a Right-Handed Pitcher from Alabama, Chase Lee had the odds stacked against him when it comes to playing any level of college athletics, let alone SEC Baseball. But Chase shares his story of how God used an undersized, unqualified, retired high school athlete so that his story could ultimately tell of God's faithfulness through God's work in his life. Chase talks with Jon and Ryan about the struggles of pursuing true humility, and how pride can disguise itself, pulling us off track if we're not rooted in scripture.
The anticipation of finally getting to college is probably a moment you thought about growing up. And whether you're not there yet, there now, or past that moment, there are things that everyone should know about how to build one another up in a new season of life. Each Fall Semester presents new challenges, and Fall 2020 is no different. As new freshman get to campus, and new teammates join our teams, basketball player Jon Kabongo and baseball player Ryan Metz offer some insight to both new and experienced student-athletes as to what they've encountered with the difficulties of keeping faith at the forefront.
