By guest writer Samantha Morgan
Where is your identity?
Have you ever been so involved in something that it feels like that thing defines who you are? Almost like if you were to take that one thing away, that you would no longer know how to define yourself?
As a girl who started playing basketball early on in grade 3, sports were and still are a huge part of my life. From playing club basketball in elementary to then both the volleyball and basketball teams in junior high and high school, my schedule was usually full. After high school, I played on the basketball team at Keyano College while I earned my Business Diploma and completed my first year of Mechanical Engineering. Between school and college level sports, my schedule was crazy busy but I loved it! I loved the competition and I loved my team but it felt like I was becoming someone that I didn’t want to be. I wasn’t comfortable with the person I was developing into. It was then that I realized I had misplaced where I put my identity.
Let me back up a little bit. I was super fortunate as a kid to grow up in a strong Christian home where my parents were involved in the church and, in turn, so was I. When I moved away for university, I had to restart my church community, meet new people and learn how to get involved again even with my busy schedule. Quite honestly it was not easy. Thankfully, a few months after going to the local church, I got connected in a young adult’s group and from there found a small group that I was able to attend. That is when I felt things change.
In this small group I remember the leader asking me in our own conversation how I thought God was using me where I was as an athlete in that community and I was stumped. I had never really thought about the fact that truthfully I was never given the gift of playing basketball strictly for my benefit. Instead, God gave me the ability to play to honor him with my body and with my abilities. I had been so busy with my sport and life that I had forgotten that Christ is my identity. Now do not misunderstand me. I am by no means saying that being involved in a highly competitive sport is a bad thing because in fact I believe the opposite! I believe that God has given us the ability to play in sports to honor him and to also reach out to his children.
As a Christian athlete I encourage you to be different. Often athletes can be influenced by many negative things, but with Christ we are called to stand out and to stay true to our faith.
One way that I found made a big difference in my faith walk while I was so busy with sports was intentionally finding a strong and supportive Christian group of friends who encouraged me and pushed me in my faith. We are made to be in community and I have found for me that my Christian community, even though it may be completely different from my sports community, is crucial for me to grow in my walk with Christ and to continue to ground myself in him.
Another simple thing that I found makes a huge difference for me is even among the craziness of life with sports, setting the time aside to daily get into God’s word. I am sure that you have probably heard many times about how important it is, but I speak from experience when I say that it is so worth it! Take time out of your day to read God’s word, whether it is early in the morning before you get out of bed or before you go to sleep.
I hope that this little piece of my experience can be used to encourage you in your walk with Christ as an athlete or even not as an athlete! Remember that as women of Christ we are called to put our identity in Christ and He will do the rest.
Samantha is 23 years old and is currently in school for Mechanical Engineering. She is married to her amazing husband Byron and together they live in Fort McMurray, Alberta. In her spare time Samantha loves to garden, play piano, scrapbook and stay active. She loves meeting new people, making new friends, and is always up for a good adventure.
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