Glorifying God on the Gridiron

Was your faith a part of how you dealt with the injury and persevered until you were better?  Has faith helped you to remain strong and focused through the pain?

It really has.  I think it's built my faith even more.  I pray every single day that God will help me with this or that.  It helped me learn how to listen to Him and do all the little things along with the big things.  It really has made my faith grow tremendously.

If you could encourage a younger athlete who wants to grow in his faith even as he pursues excellence in his sport, what sort of advice would you give?  If you think back to yourself as a freshman in high school, what would you say to that person?

I'd probably say: Don't cave in to all the junk.  There are so many things that come along with being an athlete.  So many extra temptations come from being an athlete.  You have a target on your back.  A lot of people come to a crossroad where they can give in to the temptations, but it's remarkable and a true miracle when kids -- just high school and middle school guys and girls -- refuse to cave in to the temptation.

That truly is a miracle in this world today, where there are so many corrupt and bad things.  You have the grand miracles you read about in the Bible, where God heals people and does wonderful things.  But when you see, in this day and age, a young man or young woman walking in faith it truly is a miracle.

What about now -- how do you worship at the University of Kentucky?  Are you involved in any organizations on or beyond campus that help with your faith?

I am in Athletes in Action now, which is just like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  I just got into that about a month ago, and the football team has Bible studies for the freshmen, led by an upperclassman named Marcus Davis.  I do the In Touch Magazines that help me grow and learn more through the Bible.

Also, one of the best apps for the iPhone is the Bible verse app.  When I get a chance during the day, I pull up a verse and read it and relax.  When everything in life is going super fast, it helps take the stress away.

You spoke a lot about the ability to give back.  Beyond your personal relationships with people, what other opportunities have you taken advantage of to give back?

I do a little bit of community service when I get a chance, but the most recent thing I have done was speak at Master's Church in Lexington.  I gave my testimony and told a couple of great stories and related them to the Bible.  I just tried to help people look at God in a different way.  It helps that I play football, and I am a younger guy, so I bring different qualities to the table than some other people.  Also, even if people don't know it, I pray a lot for people.  I think that's also important.

If your dreams came true as a football player and Christian, what would happen in your career?

My ideal career would be to play college football first and keep my walk with God and touch people as much as I can.  If it works out, I would love to play professional football or professional baseball.  That would be the ideal, but you never know what God has in store for you.  If that does work out, then that's what's supposed to happen.  But even if it doesn't, as much as I as a human being want it to happen, if it doesn't work out like that, I know that everything's going to be okay, because it's for a reason.

But if He does give me all the attributes to go do those things, it's going to be remarkable.  As an athlete, you have an extra platform to lead some people and steer them in the right direction.  I don't know what He has in store for me, but I'm excited to see what He does.

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Ryan Mossakowski attends the University of Kentucky in Lexington.  He will compete against senior Morgan Hartline and fellow top-prospect Morgan Newton for the starting quarterback position in spring practices.  We hope to see him leading the Wildcats soon. 

For more articles like this, see the Evangelical Portal, the Public Square discussion of Religion and Sports, and our original series on Gymnastics, Faith, and Olympic Glory.  Timothy Dalrymple tells his own story of athletics and faith in The Olympic Promised Land.