Pivots - Robin Knudson's Story

Shelley Pearson • September 15, 2022

Throughout our lives, we experience certain pivot points that change the trajectory of our lives. These instances, sometimes significant and other times seemingly small, alter the path we were on before. For Robin Knudson, FCA Area Rep, these moments over several decades have brought her to Marshall, Minnesota, where she serves local high school and college coaches and athletes in transforming the world for Christ.

Pivot #1 – Her Parents

Robin’s parents gave their lives to Christ a few years before she was born. She always remembers them serving Jesus. Her mom led a high school girls’ Bible study. Her parents helped start the first FCA in her hometown of Cottonwood, Minnesota, in 1986, and they always provided opportunities for Robin and her siblings to experience Christ’s love.

Robin said, “My parents said yes to all the faith things. They put me in places and allowed me to go to places where I would encounter Christ. I still thank them for saying yes to all those things. It’s so easy to think about the money and time away and missing work. I am so eternally grateful to them to allow me to go to things.” It all set Robin on a path toward following Jesus, but she still had to make her faith her own.

Pivot #2 – FCA Leadership Camp in Georgia

Kevin, Robin’s high school huddle coach, took a group to Leadership Camp in St. Simon, Georgia the summer before her senior year in high school. It was one of the greatest pivots of her life. She said, “I bent my knee to Jesus there. I wanted to serve Jesus because he had grabbed my heart. It was no longer to please my parents or my huddle coaches. Instead of being the good kid, I wanted to be the Christ-following kid.” She returned as a college huddle leader four times.

That camp was also where Robin met Rachel-Ruth who has had a significant impact on her life. Robin said, “Only the Holy Spirit can make friendships like that where in five days you have this connection that was like nothing I’d ever seen or experienced. To have a friend who was further along than me in my faith, I desired to watch her, to become more like her because I could tell Jesus was truly her friend.”

Pivot #3 – Baylor University

Later, Rachel-Ruth suggested they go to Baylor together. Robin didn’t know what that was – a camp or a city? Once she realized it was a university, she agreed. She entered as a pre-med student but quickly realized that though God has called many wonderful people into the medical field, it was not His call on her life. Robin said, “All my friends and roommates wanted to be moms, and I thought that was such a waste. Why go to college if you want to be a mom? But by Christmas of my freshman year, the Lord had opened my eyes to the value in that.” She changed her major to health and fitness. And God continued to grab hold of her heart.

Pivot #4 – Jeff’s Persistence

After college, Robin and her husband, Jim, eventually moved to Marshall, Minnesota. Robin taught aerobics and was a personal trainer but spent most of her time being a mom. She and Jim started the Marshall FCA huddle and volunteered at the Cottonwood huddle. FCA Area Director, Jeff Juni, asked her to consider coming on staff. Robin said, “For three years, Jeff kept texting me and asking when I was going to come on staff. I said not until my baby goes to school.” Jeff’s persistence paid off. When Robin’s youngest child went to preschool, Robin accepted the position with FCA.

Seeing the World Transformed for Christ

Through her parent’s faithfulness in providing opportunities for Robin to embrace her faith, Kevin’s willingness to drive a group of kids to Georgia for Leadership Camp, Rachel-Ruth’s boldness in inviting Robin to join her at Baylor, and Jeff’s persistence in encouraging her to join staff, God has orchestrated every pivot to point Robin to a ministry where today she sees God at work all around her.

For years before Robin came on staff, volunteers and staff had a substantial impact (and still do), but having Robin on staff has launched a multiplication effort in the area. Robin said, “Many huddles were not huddles until there was someone on staff to help and model. Lakeview High School has had a huddle running probably since 1986-87 that has never taken a break. To be able to watch that and help other people emulate it has been huge. When people get to see the impact, they want to be a part of something like that. Watching other huddles has developed more huddles. Watching students lead makes other students want to lead.”

God called Robin to give her life to Him. She did. He called her to follow Him in all these pivots. She did that as well. Today, God is calling Robin to continued obedience and increasing fruit as she obeys. What difference does that make?

15 active huddles are bringing Christ to their campuses.
Hundreds of area youth have attended leadership and sports camps in Minnesota, Iowa, and Georgia.
Twelve years of Marshall Sports Camp have brought Christ’s love to thousands of young people in southwest Minnesota.

The impact is astounding, and the reach is immeasurable. We are so grateful for Robin’s obedience to answer the call to serve Him with her life.

Is God Calling you to Pivot?

Are you pressing in to listen to God’s voice calling you to pivot in large ways or small? Are you willing to be obedient? Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Will you trust that what He’s calling you to will bear fruit?

Let Robin’s story encourage you to follow His call. Maybe He’s calling you to join FCA staff. Maybe He’s calling you to give. Maybe he’s calling you to do something very different – and hard. Whatever it is, stop and pray today that He would make the next pivot clear and that He would give you the strength to obey.

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