The Next Chapter

All four went on to play college basketball, and each is living out their faith on campus. See where they are now:

• Alayna – University of Northwestern, St. Paul - Nursing
• Julia – Eastern Illinois University – Elementary Education
• Megan – Concordia University, St. Paul - Nursing
• Courtney – Bethel University – Nursing

Adjusting to College Basketball

Moving from a high school to a college sport was definitely an eye-opener. Alayna is thankful to be playing at a Christian college: “It is so fun to play basketball with friends who also want to bring God glory through their sport.” Megan noticed a change from high school to college ball: “The level of play is so much higher than high school and it is very hard on your body at times, but it was so much fun to compete at a high level and get better every day.” Julia agreed. She said, “It was more intense than high school and more demanding in all aspects but a fun new challenge that has pushed me to work harder and continue to grow as a player.” Courtney also mentioned the learning curves but added, “I was grateful to be able to play, and I am looking forward to this season!”

Resting on God’s Word

Each one is resting on scripture to help them not only stand but thrive in college. Below are their current favorites:

Julia: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong,” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. She said, “I don’t have to get discouraged because of my shortcomings. I can instead boast IN HIM and what he’s done and is able to do.”

Courtney and Megan unknowingly chose the same passage (Ephesians 2:3-5): “All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.” Megan said, “I love this verse and the reminder of how much God loves us and how there is nothing we can do to earn our salvation. He gave us grace that we did not deserve.” Courtney agreed and added, “This verse humbles me and takes away any self-righteousness, and makes me so grateful for what Christ has done.”

Continuing in Ministry

It is still their desire to reflect Christ in all they do on and off the court and to show others that their identity is placed squarely in who they are in Him rather than in how they perform. They have that opportunity every single day at practice and during games, but God has also raised each one up to serve Him in a new capacity.

Julia and some teammates restarted the FCA at Eastern Illinois after the staff person left the area. She said, “It is so encouraging to see the turnout and hear the genuine, honest, and in-depth conversations and responses during discussion groups. FCA is beginning to make an impact at EIU again and it’s so cool to see God working through it bringing different athletes together to talk about him and their personal struggles and how they are encouraged and centered on him.”

Through the message at her new church, Courtney began to realize that God had placed her at Bethel for a reason. She said, “God began to give me such a sincere love for my teammates and was prompting me to start a Bible study . . . I was so nervous to text it out to the freshman girls on the team because I didn’t know what the response would be, but the Lord was faithful, and six freshman girls said yes!”

Megan was fortunate to attend a school with a well-established FCA. She got involved in a discipleship group but didn’t leave it at that. She said, “I was so blessed by my group and felt God was leading me to step up and become a leader next year. I told Joy [FCA collegiate staff) I was interested, and she invited me to the leaders' group to see what it was like and I loved it. I am very excited for a new role and to see how FCA will continue to impact my campus this upcoming year!”

Finally, Alayna is fully involved in her team’s devotional time. She said, “It creates so much team chemistry and team unity. It builds trust and deepens relationship. It is also so great to be part of a team that is praying for each other and cheering each other on in all aspects of life.” She is all-in caring for her coaches and teammates and shining Christ’s love around her.

The Role FCA Played

FCA talks a lot about multiplication, and this is a perfect example of what that looks like. Each of these girls stood for Christ in high school, and God is continuing the work He started in their hearts, exponentially increasing the impact. In high school, they learned how to place their identities in Christ and how to lead on teams and in their spheres of influence. Each was equipped to carry what they learned and practiced to four different college campuses, and each one continues to use sport as a vehicle to share the Gospel. 

FCA isn’t just some fun thing to do on a Monday night. It is transforming lives for eternity and equipping students like Alayna, Megan, Courtney, and Julia to shine in their new spheres of influence, a skill that they will use dozens of times as they finish college and move into their careers. Pray for these four and the thousands of others who leave FCA in high school. Pray that they would intentionally seek Christian community and respond to God’s call to rise up and serve him in new and challenging ways.