Student and football player
Jacksonville State University
Ten and a half years ago I made the single greatest decision of my life. With the direction of Pastor Sid Cottingham and my father, I found Jesus Christ to be my one and only Savior. Since that day I have dreamed of traveling to places like Somalia, China and India to spread the great news of a risen King. Trips came and went, but I never could seem to get my hands on a plane ticket because of football workouts, baseball games or travel basketball. My schedule was always packed with sports and other extracurricular activities, leaving a void in my spiritual life. I always felt as if I was not doing enough. I was not dreaming high enough or reaching my full potential like the Lord had planned for me. That all changed when I moved to Jacksonville State University (JSU) to play ball.
‘What am I doing here?’
Moving away from “momma” was very tough for me. But leaving my church in Cullman was twice as hard. I had made lifelong friends and accountability partners I could rely on every day to see me through. Let me add that JSU was not my first choice. I had dreams and opportunities to play football in the SEC. But after spending one day on the Jacksonville campus I could feel the Lord pulling on my heartstrings to come here. So I did, having no clue what I was getting into. Soon summer workouts, two-a-day practices and many meetings began and I was in way over my head. I remember lying in my bed countless nights asking myself, “What am I doing here?” After weeks of prayer and fellowship I finally figured it out. I was here for discipline and discipleship.
I was not in a foreign country that persecuted Christians. I was not confined to a basement for preaching. I was stranded in a college environment full of sin and trials. I found it very hard to bring up my faith in any part of my weekly schedule. Then I bumped into a red-headed man at the end of football practice passing out popsicles. Hellos turned into conversations, conversations turned into meetings and meetings turned into Bible studies.
It turned out this friendly man passing out popsicles was the campus minister for Baptist Campus Ministries (BCM) at JSU, Gary Brittain. He soon had three teammates and myself in a Bible study. However, it was not just a Bible study. It was a “D-group” — a Bible study focusing on making disciples. I knew in his introduction this was straight from the Lord. I was exactly where I was supposed to be. We spent one day each week in the spring semester praying and discussing how we could be better disciples here on campus — starting with the football team and continuing on to the whole community. I never have told Brother Gary how thankful I am for him, so I will do that now. Brother Gary and BCM helped me find my calling when I was sure I was nowhere close.
Need for discipline
The second thing the Lord showed me was the need to be disciplined as a student athlete. On a college campus there is always something to get into. There is always something going on.
And as a football player I learned there are eyes on me every hour of the day with people watching my every move. At first I was very intimidated by this but I soon realized it is a blessing. I no longer have an accountability partner — I now have an accountability community. Kids, students, coaches, faculty and my teammates look at me wondering what I will do next. With the Lord’s help I am able to teach them two things. First I am able to give them an example of what it looks like when Jesus is alive in your life, how He consumes you and takes hold of every action and every thought.
Remaining faithful
The second thing I have been able to teach them is that I am a sinner. At times Christians can be put on a pedestal. People look at Christians differently. Through my actions I was able to show them that there has only been one perfect person to ever walk this earth, and it sure wasn’t Tyler Swindle from Hayden. But even through my flaws and my stumbles I still work to remain faithful.
As a follower of Christ I dreamed of traveling to the opposite ends of the earth to spread the gospel. As a student athlete I was not able to fulfill those ambitions. However, it turned out to be the biggest blessing in my life so far. Every day I see a hundred new faces, eager to hear the good news. I was perfectly placed here by the Most High to begin my missions work. Thanks to people like Brother Gary and BCM, I am able to do what I have dreamed of doing without missing a snap or learning a new language.
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