May 20, 2025 • 25 mins
Many athletes quote the verse from Philippians 4:13,“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” And it’s true! In this episode, we hear from 3 amazing collegiate athletes from 3 different sports who tell their stories of overcoming the odds. Zach Nelson, a regional director with the Orange County Fellowship of Christian Athletes, who played NAIA Division I baseball, is joined by two NCAA Division II college athletes: Peyton Darm, a recent graduate from Vanguard University and a women’s volleyball player, as well as Josiah Kirby, a current Track and Field athlete with Vanguard University, as well as a retired US Marine. All of these athletes share with us their stories and how God worked in their lives through collegiate athletics, both on individual as well as team levels. Whether you are an athlete or not, we hope their stories of faith in athletic culture will encourage you.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Philippians 4:13 says, for I can do everything through Christ
who gives me strength. Many times we'll hear athletes quote
this passage of scripture, and it's very applicable to what
they're going through. Other times you'll hear people say that's
taken out of context because it's about suffering for Jesus.
But if we observe athletes, most of them do suffer
and struggle as they practice to make perfect so that
(00:22):
they can win the game for themselves and their team.
So today we're going to hear from a few athletes
associated with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Zach Nelson is
a local regional director for the Orange County Fellowship of
Christian Athletes, also known as FCA.
And he brings with him two NCAA Division 2 athletes, uh,
(00:45):
Peyton Darm, who is a recent graduate from Vanguard University
and played for the women's volleyball team NCAA Division 2,
as well as Josiah, who also plays in Division 2
NCAA on track and field. He also is a former Marine.
So both of these athletes along with Zach who played
baseball at the collegiate level will share their stories, their
(01:07):
struggles and how it is that they have brought faith
into the orientation of what they do as athletes. So
join us on this episode of Kingdom and Culture as
we explore what it means to go through the struggle
that is good to the glory of God through athletics.
(01:38):
I'm your host Mike Whitford, and today we have some
awesome guests. Uh, they're, I'll just say it this way,
they all love Jesus, so, uh, that's good, and, uh,
they're all part of Fellowship of Christian athletes, AKA FCA
in one way or another, um, and they're all athletes
in their own right.
(01:59):
And so I'm going to introduce uh the, I guess
the captain of this crew, if you will, um, uh,
Zack Nelson, he is a local Orange County FCA uh
pastor evangelist guy. That's good. Hey, uh, Zach, why don't
you kick it off and just um.
(02:19):
Uh, tell me a little bit about you and then
introduce your, uh, your, your fellow athletes here and we'll
go from there. All right, well, thanks for having us on, Mike.
I am I am and I know my athletes are
stoked to be here. Um, so to my left, I
have Josiah Kirby, um, you're what, a sophomore, I think
(02:42):
we talked about that. Yeah, Josiah is a sophomore.
Uh, at Vanguard University and also Peyton Darm on my right, um,
and Peyton, you're a senior. I'm a senior going in
my 5th year. Oh, let's go. Yeah, yeah. So, um,
so I'm on, so I'm on staff with the Fellowship
of Christian Athletes at Vanguard University um.
(03:06):
If you're not familiar with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, uh,
we're a sports nonprofit, um, para church ministry that started
in 1954, um, it was started by a man named
or founded by a man named Don McLennan, and Don
had a passion, um, to share um the gospel through
(03:29):
sports and was, you know, during that time, yeah, it's
a very good idea. During that time, Yogi Berra is
a
Um selling beer, you know, and uh um to the
masses and he's a famous baseball player back in the
50s and, and um athletes were being kind of used
to sell products and he's like, well,
(03:50):
You know, if companies can do that, then how come
we can't do that? Why not do that with the gospel? So,
and that's kind of where it all started and the
very first, and that's good. I'm glad you gave that
background because I don't think a lot of people know
the background. Like, I've even said FCA, what's FCA? So
to a new generation, you're introducing, maybe reintroducing that which
(04:12):
has been around since the 50s, long time ago. That's awesome.
And then
So the, uh, actually this is really cool. I'm so sorry,
I'm way off topic here. I'm on topic, but I'm off.
So the um so Don and uh Branch Ricky actually
were um owner of the Dodgers, Brooklyn, yeah, at the
time he was with the Pirates, but um this was.
(04:35):
Bran Tricky, if you guys don't know, signed Jackie Robinson,
who broke the color barrier in sports. So Bran Tricky
had a hand in FCA starting, which was cool. And
that's awesome. What a connection. Wow, come on. So fast forward, um.
Uh, all, all these years later, we've, we've been an
(04:57):
organization for the past 75 years. I'm not, I'm not
good at math, obviously, I'm in ministry, so, um, but yeah,
so we've been in, we've been doing this for a
long time, um, and I've been on staff with FCA
and uh.
Working with college athletes for the last 4 years at
Vanguard and you played baseball at Vanguard first base first.
(05:22):
Very cool. Well, uh, let's let's go ahead and let
ladies first post Zack Peyton, tell us about what
You, your athletic focus area, even what your major is
in college, because you know, there's those that are still
deciding what to do with their lives and so maybe
you'll impact somebody's direction here. Yeah, yeah, so I'm Peyton.
I play volleyball at Vanguard. I'm a middle and I'm
(05:44):
a senior going into my 5th year, took a red
shirt year, um.
Yeah, I am a history and political science major. I
want to teach with that. I'm gonna teach either middle
school or high school and then hopefully coach in there
as well. I'm currently a coach also for club and
for boys high school, but.
Yeah, I did not decide my major until my sophomore year, um,
(06:07):
second semester. I was undeclared and then business and then
elementary education and now history and political science, so it
took a bit to get there, but God led me
here and felt the calling to teach, um, so yeah,
that's how I got there and then.
Yeah, volleyball, it's just I love being at Vanguard because
(06:29):
it truly is a place to play for Christ and
you're playing with him, um, so yeah, it's been a
great opportunity, yeah. Like angels in the outfield, does Jesus
like lift you up over the net to spike? Oh yeah, no,
that's he's going every time. That's awesome. That's so cool.
They get in the way that's awesome. Thanks, Payton and
we'll go back to like because I wanna.
(06:51):
Prior into more of like how that that all came
together for you in terms of um volleyball and and
what uh things God has revealed to you through that. So,
so Josiah, talk to us, talk to me goose,
Speaker 2 (07:03):
uh, 2nd year of Vanguard, yeah, sophomore, um, athletically, and, um,
I'm 30.
So that's crazy. Yeah,
Speaker 1 (07:12):
you are.
Now tell a little bit about that. Why are you
30 as a sophomore in college? What did you, you
served something before that,
Speaker 2 (07:21):
I was down in um Camp Pendleton in the Marines and, um, yeah,
served in the military for 5 years. And thank you
thank you yeah thank you thanks. And, um, so yeah,
just using, uh, the GI bill and uh just getting
back to to going to school and that.
That route was um.
(07:42):
Wild, uh, to see like where the Lord, um, has
me now like going back to to school and and
why Vanguard, um, specifically, um, Christian and, uh, yeah, that
focus so, so that's, that's been awesome, um, getting out
(08:02):
of that realm into, uh, this, this community and.
Um, couldn't couldn't be happier. It's
Speaker 1 (08:12):
well, and that's where I guess from there I want
to launch into the fact that you guys have the
opportunity to be part of a Christian university, which not
everybody gets that opportunity. Um, but, uh, you know, with
Biola and Azusa, Vanguard, Concordia, others around here, we have
a great opportunity in that community realm as believers with options.
(08:33):
But
Deeper than that, perhaps even as you see culture going
as it goes away from Jesus, perhaps some in some areas,
maybe somewhere closer, uh, there are things people are working
toward drawing near to Jesus. What, what was it in
you guys as you're going through your life that you
decided to start running for Jesus? You started to start
spiking for Jesus.
(08:55):
You, uh, I, I'm trying to find an athletic thing
for volleyball set set for Jesus, serving for Jesus. That's
even better. That's why you're the FCA guy, Zach. And
then for you, Zach, playing baseball, you know, um, you know,
no particular order, but what, you know, as our students
are listening to this, what was it that sparked your heart?
Uh, to get involved in athletes, athletics and be an athlete,
(09:18):
but then how that faith integration piece became important to
you as to why your relationship with Jesus while serving
him in a, uh, uh, in that manner, um, yeah,
just tell a little bit about what got you in there.
Yeah, so I grew up in a Christian home. Um,
my dad played volleyball and then he.
(09:41):
Made us play every other sport other than volleyball so
that way we wouldn't choose it just because he played
it um thank goodness that he did that because
Volleyball is not a starter sports, so my coordination came
in from that, but he taught me how to integrate
faith into sports for sure, um, how to deal with
authority figures or coaches, um, respect them and um ask questions, um,
(10:05):
and just how to pour into your coaches and how
to be poured into also. So connecting that to God, um,
we learned how to, yeah, lean on him. He is
a resource, um, he's our first and should be.
Um, you know, our, he's our, our first resource we
need to go to him for everything and so, um.
Like for me now learning how to rely on him
(10:28):
for strength physically, spiritually, um, it's just going through spring
season it's tough work so early morning wake up so
I was just starting my day, my 5 minute drive
off with prayer, um, worship music sometimes just I'm just
in silence, um, just being still, um, starting my day
off with him and that's really helped me um to
(10:49):
get through the.
5:30 wake up call, but it's a blessing and I'm
so privileged to be able to do that for sure.
So you would see that as a blessing that you
get to do it rather than you have to do it.
And it sounds like you have a pretty good foundation
from your home life into, you know, uh, did you
(11:10):
go to a Christian school in high school as well?
I did not. OK, so you got to experience what
high school did you go to? I went to Elia Niguel,
and I did FCA there. I was on the leadership
team there, um.
So you knew about FCA before. I did. OK, that
helps a lot. And there while so yeah. Jo, how
about you? What's your story? Uh, and, and the reason
I'm asking, um, again, our guests are, uh, Peyton, Josiah,
(11:34):
and Zach from FCA, um, but, uh, I'm asking your
these questions to give kind of a background to both help.
Students navigate where they're at, whether they come from a
strong Christian background or not. And so I, uh, Josiah,
what's your background story with, uh, with regard to being
where you're at now and, and honoring God with your
(11:55):
athletic ability and, and being in college?
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Yeah, I mean, it's, it's a long one. I'll try
to be as brief as I can, but like, um,
basically like raised in a Christian home as well, um,
1 out of 7 kids, uh, dad was, was pastoring, um.
In a church around the Atlanta, Georgia area, and, uh,
Speaker 1 (12:16):
a Southerner, yeah, yes
sir,
Speaker 2 (12:20):
uh, from around there, uh, Texas, Georgia, uh made my
way out here in the Marines, so, um, but
Speaker 1 (12:28):
sorry, really quick question. Do people from the South make
fun of you because now you're in California and
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Um, yeah,
Speaker 1 (12:34):
probably,
Speaker 2 (12:35):
or, or I
Speaker 1 (12:36):
think so. Because I find that my friend from Mississippi,
she said that, um, that, uh, I couldn't be a
Southerner because I was from California. I said, where's the
Mason-Dixon line? And she said, pointed it out. I said, Well,
that's above where I live. So technically I
Southerner because I'm below the Mason-Dixon line, which is where
they include the South anyway just little thing there but
(12:57):
continue to size so your dad's a pastor, Georgia, Texas,
Speaker 2 (13:02):
yeah no, I would say that they uh they're like,
what are you what are you doing out there? Why
why are you going to? um.
No, so
Yeah, pretty, pretty wild story. um, got out of the Marines, uh,
2019 and, um, uh, 25 at a time. Uh, I
had some, some track scholarships like out of high school,
(13:24):
but obviously, um, chose to deny those but.
Um, I don't know, I, I'd always thought like maybe
going back to school, maybe I could try to get
back in, in the athletic realm, um, possibly, but my,
my body was pretty torn up, to be honest, from
being in the
Marines,
yeah, the, the infantry, um, lots of just walking, lots
(13:45):
of weight bearing, and so my joints are just pretty,
pretty trashed, um, even at, even at 25.
And uh to be honest I uh dealt with a
lot of substance abuses specifically mainly alcohol um at the
time even though like raised, um, like knowing the truth,
(14:09):
I definitely knew who God was, um, but I, I
chose to run away from that um I chose the world.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
And this is post Marines. So you served in the
US Marine Corps and honorably, which again, we thanked you earlier,
like we're so grateful for that, but that's not without
its own sacrifices and the environment, I'm sure that are there. So,
so now you're out and you're going to alcohol to
help fill whatever void was left there, it sounds like. Yeah,
Speaker 2 (14:43):
lots of peer pressure, lots of like.
Oh what do I do, you know, and just trying
to figure that out. I don't really have like an identity,
you know, I don't I don't my identity was like,
oh I'm a I'm a marine whatever um but now
I'm out just kind of um circulating through different jobs
and stuff and and just kind of drinking my life
(15:06):
away I really was and so I got um.
Very sick, um, just.
Uh, organ function was plummeting dramatically very, very dramatic at
one point. I was 27 and um.
(15:26):
I lost maybe close to like 60, 65 pounds, um,
just because I was, I was starting to just have
that dramatic, uh, dysfunction in, in my body and, um,
and that was pretty scary like, um, I got some
um brain scans from doctor's office and just was really
(15:49):
scared like just starting to lose like.
Um, just going into panic every time I, I drove
a car, you know, stuff like that, um, so just
losing like functionality in, in real life situations as a
seven year old guy, you know, and, um.
And I'm like this, this isn't good, you know, um, so.
(16:14):
Just really scared like I was having trouble sleeping at
night and um.
And I think I, I finally just came to a
breaking 0.1 evening and, and I just like I just
cried out to God. I was like I know I
know he's real he's there but you know if, if
(16:35):
he really hears me like it maybe.
Maybe he'll do something about this, you know, and so I,
I like I just said God like Jesus like I
I know that Jesus is God and if if you
really are real and you hear me right now, um,
would you.
(16:57):
Just give me sleep, you know, something as simple as that.
Just like give me, give me some rest right and, um,
and I kid you not, like, um, I woke up
like right after I prayed that like 8 hours later, like,
you know, slept all the way through the night it
was crazy at the time that was like uh just
(17:17):
a shock so
Speaker 1 (17:18):
that was like a miracle to your body yeah it
was to be able to rest yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
And, and I woke up just like, wow, um, OK, um,
I think that might have been a fluke, you know.
But, uh, like, you know, no way, like he just
flukey
Speaker 1 (17:35):
miracle
Speaker 2 (17:36):
he heard me, you know, that one time and just like,
you know, so you know it it happens like over
and over.
But every time I would, I would pray that like
I seriously would just like wake up like actually
Speaker 1 (17:50):
answered my,
yeah,
Speaker 2 (17:52):
he was giving me rest and.
Um, and so I was starting to like sleep through
the nights and um then he woke me up one
time it was like 3 in the morning and I
just hear um out of this ear like my name
being called it's just Josiah
Speaker 1 (18:10):
out of your left ear and audible of Josiah
Speaker 2 (18:13):
it
felt like somebody was there and I, I lived alone,
you know, I'm like.
What was that? I woke up.
I I wake up and I'm like,
Is there's somebody here like you know like looking around
the house like.
What's going on? And I was like that, that was
not a dream, you know.
(18:33):
And so I, I'm like once again maybe it's just
a fluke you know like maybe, maybe it's like just
my mind messing with me. I don't know and um
so I go back to sleep well that happens like
another two more times and so I'm like, OK.
I, I did pray
Speaker 1 (18:55):
and you had no prophet Eli to go talk to
the priest Eli, like you're Samuel, like, what's going on?
Go listen, say it as I, Lord, speak. Your servant listens.
Did you say that? Oh, OK. Well then you, I
guess next time, right, right.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
But so after like the 3rd time I'm, I'm like, OK,
he's he's like literally calling my
Speaker 1 (19:15):
name.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Wow, um, like literally and um.
So
Speaker 1 (19:20):
there had to be some moms, dads, grandmas people praying
for you.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Yes, there were there, they still are,
Speaker 1 (19:26):
yeah, yeah,
Speaker 2 (19:28):
seriously, and, and so I was like, OK, like I
gotta figure out who this guy is who's calling my
name like he knows me. I feel I really felt like.
Like a father like.
Like calling his son in, you know, inside like just come,
just come back home you know and so I was like, OK,
(19:49):
like if that's if that's the case I'm gonna give
you everything I got. I asked for healing. I asked
for him to completely heal me and to use like
that story for not myself but for many others and
in whatever capacity he didn't have to but he did
he he's healed me completely.
(20:10):
And more and then some here I am, you know, running, uh,
track it and I
Speaker 1 (20:16):
see it. I see you running with the the young
bucks the youngins, you're 30 and these people were like
20 years old and you're keeping up. You're leading the pack.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
It's pretty wild. So, but the bigger part is like.
The surrenderance, it's like, yeah, OK, like I said, Jesus,
I am yours now wow and but that that comes with,
you know, another side of the coin is, you know,
I said, so if I'm yours like.
(20:44):
You have to be mine too so that's that surrenderance
is like, OK, you, you're my God and I'm, I'm
your son now so it's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
I was gonna ask, I think you kind of answered
my my next question, but it sounds like, yeah, God
definitely got a hold of your attention. And uh what
would you say to somebody who is in that.
Initial spot of God, if you're real, blank because I'm
sure if not all of us in this room, a
lot of uh Christians and or unbelievers at one time
(21:20):
in their life will say, God, if you're real.
What would you say to a person in that place
right now, whether they're in high school or college where
they're crying out to God and they're saying, God, if
you're real, what would you say to them? How to wait,
how to, how to hear? I mean, obviously the Lord
gave you a good old fashioned audible Josiah. Yeah, yeah.
(21:42):
What would you say to somebody going through that?
Speaker 2 (21:43):
I think he, he knows like where you're at.
He doesn't give us anything we can't handle and so
like he he searches our hearts and he knows exactly
where we lie with him and so if if you
don't know just like just ask him and like where
(22:06):
where are you in my life I I, I'm pretty
sure he'll show you in some way or another it
might not be what you want us see.
It's, you know, he's gonna show you something.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
So look for that thing that he's showing you. Yeah,
it's good. Wow. Why I didn't see that coming. That
was great. That was, that was great.
Um, so Zach, I mean, similarly, as you, you, you know,
you've been able to kind of mentor these guys in
your FCA role and, uh, I don't know what, where
do you see your, your journey that led you here, uh,
(22:45):
and you got married recently. That's awesome. Yeah, you're, you're
like a professional, what? 3 months married? You're just ready
to tell everybody how to do marriage, 6 months marriage, sorry, yeah.
All right, even better. You're even more equipped and we
have a, we have a kid on the way. What?
Is this the first announcement publicly anywhere right here in
the campus Portal podcast, Zach announced there's a baby on
(23:06):
the way. Come on, Zach. Grandpa pup, that's your dad
is probably happy. Yes, sir. Wow. Well, that's cool. Thanks
for doing that.
This, this podcast is gonna take off because of that
right there. OK, well anyway, take off because of the Lord. Amen. Jesus.
There you go. We'll go with that. Stay focused. There
(23:28):
you go, main thing, the main thing, Jesus, not, not
your baby. I am Jesus. OK, that's good and uh
and uh having a kid.
that something so I'm stoked. So let me go back
a little bit if I can interject a little. You
4 years been doing FCA since you played baseball. Zach,
(23:48):
what challenges have you seen within the realm of reaching athletes?
I would say a challenge with a lot of um.
A challenge with a lot of athletes and, and I, there,
I guess it just, it varies between, um, and I
don't want to be too general, but everybody's got their,
(24:09):
everybody's got their struggles, um everybody deals with, um, deals
with sin, even on a Christian campus and even so
not everybody at Vanguard.
Walks with the Lord. I know a lot do, but
I also know a lot don't. So it's, it's, um,
it's a delicate, essentially walk, especially for myself if you're
(24:31):
speaking to me from my professional side, um, and I've,
what I've learned with how I've.
Essentially over the last 4 years, um, I think one
of the big things that I've taken away professionally is
a ministry of presence. Well, I don't know about you,
but I'm ready to take my middle aged body and
(24:53):
run the race marked out for me. Whether you're an
athlete or a mathlete, see what I did there?
Either way we need to be ready to live for
Christ with everything we have. I hope you're encouraged by
Zach and Peyton and Josiah and what they shared about
their stories and how God is using them because really
(25:15):
as we all run this race marked out for us,
we keep our eyes on Jesus that's what it's all about.
So I hope you were encouraged. Don't forget to follow
Zach at on Instagram. That's at Zach ZAK_attack ATTK. Uh
you can go there or just go to FCA.org for
more information on the fellowship of Christian athletes. Join us
(25:36):
next time on Kingdom and Culture as we continue to
seek to advance the kingdom of God in our culture today.
Philippians 4:13 says, for I can do everything through Christ
who gives me strength. Many times we'll hear athletes quote
this passage of scripture, and it's very applicable to what
they're going through. Other times you'll hear people say that's
taken out of context because it's about suffering for Jesus.
But if we observe athletes, most of them do suffer
and struggle as they practice to make perfect so that
(00:22):
they can win the game for themselves and their team.
So today we're going to hear from a few athletes
associated with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Zach Nelson is
a local regional director for the Orange County Fellowship of
Christian Athletes, also known as FCA.
And he brings with him two NCAA Division 2 athletes, uh,
(00:45):
Peyton Darm, who is a recent graduate from Vanguard University
and played for the women's volleyball team NCAA Division 2,
as well as Josiah, who also plays in Division 2
NCAA on track and field. He also is a former Marine.
So both of these athletes along with Zach who played
baseball at the collegiate level will share their stories, their
(01:07):
struggles and how it is that they have brought faith
into the orientation of what they do as athletes. So
join us on this episode of Kingdom and Culture as
we explore what it means to go through the struggle
that is good to the glory of God through athletics.
(01:38):
I'm your host Mike Whitford, and today we have some
awesome guests. Uh, they're, I'll just say it this way,
they all love Jesus, so, uh, that's good, and, uh,
they're all part of Fellowship of Christian athletes, AKA FCA
in one way or another, um, and they're all athletes
in their own right.
(01:59):
And so I'm going to introduce uh the, I guess
the captain of this crew, if you will, um, uh,
Zack Nelson, he is a local Orange County FCA uh
pastor evangelist guy. That's good. Hey, uh, Zach, why don't
you kick it off and just um.
(02:19):
Uh, tell me a little bit about you and then
introduce your, uh, your, your fellow athletes here and we'll
go from there. All right, well, thanks for having us on, Mike.
I am I am and I know my athletes are
stoked to be here. Um, so to my left, I
have Josiah Kirby, um, you're what, a sophomore, I think
(02:42):
we talked about that. Yeah, Josiah is a sophomore.
Uh, at Vanguard University and also Peyton Darm on my right, um,
and Peyton, you're a senior. I'm a senior going in
my 5th year. Oh, let's go. Yeah, yeah. So, um,
so I'm on, so I'm on staff with the Fellowship
of Christian Athletes at Vanguard University um.
(03:06):
If you're not familiar with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, uh,
we're a sports nonprofit, um, para church ministry that started
in 1954, um, it was started by a man named
or founded by a man named Don McLennan, and Don
had a passion, um, to share um the gospel through
(03:29):
sports and was, you know, during that time, yeah, it's
a very good idea. During that time, Yogi Berra is
a
Um selling beer, you know, and uh um to the
masses and he's a famous baseball player back in the
50s and, and um athletes were being kind of used
to sell products and he's like, well,
(03:50):
You know, if companies can do that, then how come
we can't do that? Why not do that with the gospel? So,
and that's kind of where it all started and the
very first, and that's good. I'm glad you gave that
background because I don't think a lot of people know
the background. Like, I've even said FCA, what's FCA? So
to a new generation, you're introducing, maybe reintroducing that which
(04:12):
has been around since the 50s, long time ago. That's awesome.
And then
So the, uh, actually this is really cool. I'm so sorry,
I'm way off topic here. I'm on topic, but I'm off.
So the um so Don and uh Branch Ricky actually
were um owner of the Dodgers, Brooklyn, yeah, at the
time he was with the Pirates, but um this was.
(04:35):
Bran Tricky, if you guys don't know, signed Jackie Robinson,
who broke the color barrier in sports. So Bran Tricky
had a hand in FCA starting, which was cool. And
that's awesome. What a connection. Wow, come on. So fast forward, um.
Uh, all, all these years later, we've, we've been an
(04:57):
organization for the past 75 years. I'm not, I'm not
good at math, obviously, I'm in ministry, so, um, but yeah,
so we've been in, we've been doing this for a
long time, um, and I've been on staff with FCA
and uh.
Working with college athletes for the last 4 years at
Vanguard and you played baseball at Vanguard first base first.
(05:22):
Very cool. Well, uh, let's let's go ahead and let
ladies first post Zack Peyton, tell us about what
You, your athletic focus area, even what your major is
in college, because you know, there's those that are still
deciding what to do with their lives and so maybe
you'll impact somebody's direction here. Yeah, yeah, so I'm Peyton.
I play volleyball at Vanguard. I'm a middle and I'm
(05:44):
a senior going into my 5th year, took a red
shirt year, um.
Yeah, I am a history and political science major. I
want to teach with that. I'm gonna teach either middle
school or high school and then hopefully coach in there
as well. I'm currently a coach also for club and
for boys high school, but.
Yeah, I did not decide my major until my sophomore year, um,
(06:07):
second semester. I was undeclared and then business and then
elementary education and now history and political science, so it
took a bit to get there, but God led me
here and felt the calling to teach, um, so yeah,
that's how I got there and then.
Yeah, volleyball, it's just I love being at Vanguard because
(06:29):
it truly is a place to play for Christ and
you're playing with him, um, so yeah, it's been a
great opportunity, yeah. Like angels in the outfield, does Jesus
like lift you up over the net to spike? Oh yeah, no,
that's he's going every time. That's awesome. That's so cool.
They get in the way that's awesome. Thanks, Payton and
we'll go back to like because I wanna.
(06:51):
Prior into more of like how that that all came
together for you in terms of um volleyball and and
what uh things God has revealed to you through that. So,
so Josiah, talk to us, talk to me goose,
Speaker 2 (07:03):
uh, 2nd year of Vanguard, yeah, sophomore, um, athletically, and, um,
I'm 30.
So that's crazy. Yeah,
Speaker 1 (07:12):
you are.
Now tell a little bit about that. Why are you
30 as a sophomore in college? What did you, you
served something before that,
Speaker 2 (07:21):
I was down in um Camp Pendleton in the Marines and, um, yeah,
served in the military for 5 years. And thank you
thank you yeah thank you thanks. And, um, so yeah,
just using, uh, the GI bill and uh just getting
back to to going to school and that.
That route was um.
(07:42):
Wild, uh, to see like where the Lord, um, has
me now like going back to to school and and
why Vanguard, um, specifically, um, Christian and, uh, yeah, that
focus so, so that's, that's been awesome, um, getting out
(08:02):
of that realm into, uh, this, this community and.
Um, couldn't couldn't be happier. It's
Speaker 1 (08:12):
well, and that's where I guess from there I want
to launch into the fact that you guys have the
opportunity to be part of a Christian university, which not
everybody gets that opportunity. Um, but, uh, you know, with
Biola and Azusa, Vanguard, Concordia, others around here, we have
a great opportunity in that community realm as believers with options.
(08:33):
But
Deeper than that, perhaps even as you see culture going
as it goes away from Jesus, perhaps some in some areas,
maybe somewhere closer, uh, there are things people are working
toward drawing near to Jesus. What, what was it in
you guys as you're going through your life that you
decided to start running for Jesus? You started to start
spiking for Jesus.
(08:55):
You, uh, I, I'm trying to find an athletic thing
for volleyball set set for Jesus, serving for Jesus. That's
even better. That's why you're the FCA guy, Zach. And
then for you, Zach, playing baseball, you know, um, you know,
no particular order, but what, you know, as our students
are listening to this, what was it that sparked your heart?
Uh, to get involved in athletes, athletics and be an athlete,
(09:18):
but then how that faith integration piece became important to
you as to why your relationship with Jesus while serving
him in a, uh, uh, in that manner, um, yeah,
just tell a little bit about what got you in there.
Yeah, so I grew up in a Christian home. Um,
my dad played volleyball and then he.
(09:41):
Made us play every other sport other than volleyball so
that way we wouldn't choose it just because he played
it um thank goodness that he did that because
Volleyball is not a starter sports, so my coordination came
in from that, but he taught me how to integrate
faith into sports for sure, um, how to deal with
authority figures or coaches, um, respect them and um ask questions, um,
(10:05):
and just how to pour into your coaches and how
to be poured into also. So connecting that to God, um,
we learned how to, yeah, lean on him. He is
a resource, um, he's our first and should be.
Um, you know, our, he's our, our first resource we
need to go to him for everything and so, um.
Like for me now learning how to rely on him
(10:28):
for strength physically, spiritually, um, it's just going through spring
season it's tough work so early morning wake up so
I was just starting my day, my 5 minute drive
off with prayer, um, worship music sometimes just I'm just
in silence, um, just being still, um, starting my day
off with him and that's really helped me um to
(10:49):
get through the.
5:30 wake up call, but it's a blessing and I'm
so privileged to be able to do that for sure.
So you would see that as a blessing that you
get to do it rather than you have to do it.
And it sounds like you have a pretty good foundation
from your home life into, you know, uh, did you
(11:10):
go to a Christian school in high school as well?
I did not. OK, so you got to experience what
high school did you go to? I went to Elia Niguel,
and I did FCA there. I was on the leadership
team there, um.
So you knew about FCA before. I did. OK, that
helps a lot. And there while so yeah. Jo, how
about you? What's your story? Uh, and, and the reason
I'm asking, um, again, our guests are, uh, Peyton, Josiah,
(11:34):
and Zach from FCA, um, but, uh, I'm asking your
these questions to give kind of a background to both help.
Students navigate where they're at, whether they come from a
strong Christian background or not. And so I, uh, Josiah,
what's your background story with, uh, with regard to being
where you're at now and, and honoring God with your
(11:55):
athletic ability and, and being in college?
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Yeah, I mean, it's, it's a long one. I'll try
to be as brief as I can, but like, um,
basically like raised in a Christian home as well, um,
1 out of 7 kids, uh, dad was, was pastoring, um.
In a church around the Atlanta, Georgia area, and, uh,
Speaker 1 (12:16):
a Southerner, yeah, yes
sir,
Speaker 2 (12:20):
uh, from around there, uh, Texas, Georgia, uh made my
way out here in the Marines, so, um, but
Speaker 1 (12:28):
sorry, really quick question. Do people from the South make
fun of you because now you're in California and
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Um, yeah,
Speaker 1 (12:34):
probably,
Speaker 2 (12:35):
or, or I
Speaker 1 (12:36):
think so. Because I find that my friend from Mississippi,
she said that, um, that, uh, I couldn't be a
Southerner because I was from California. I said, where's the
Mason-Dixon line? And she said, pointed it out. I said, Well,
that's above where I live. So technically I
Southerner because I'm below the Mason-Dixon line, which is where
they include the South anyway just little thing there but
(12:57):
continue to size so your dad's a pastor, Georgia, Texas,
Speaker 2 (13:02):
yeah no, I would say that they uh they're like,
what are you what are you doing out there? Why
why are you going to? um.
No, so
Yeah, pretty, pretty wild story. um, got out of the Marines, uh,
2019 and, um, uh, 25 at a time. Uh, I
had some, some track scholarships like out of high school,
(13:24):
but obviously, um, chose to deny those but.
Um, I don't know, I, I'd always thought like maybe
going back to school, maybe I could try to get
back in, in the athletic realm, um, possibly, but my,
my body was pretty torn up, to be honest, from
being in the
Marines,
yeah, the, the infantry, um, lots of just walking, lots
(13:45):
of weight bearing, and so my joints are just pretty,
pretty trashed, um, even at, even at 25.
And uh to be honest I uh dealt with a
lot of substance abuses specifically mainly alcohol um at the
time even though like raised, um, like knowing the truth,
(14:09):
I definitely knew who God was, um, but I, I
chose to run away from that um I chose the world.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
And this is post Marines. So you served in the
US Marine Corps and honorably, which again, we thanked you earlier,
like we're so grateful for that, but that's not without
its own sacrifices and the environment, I'm sure that are there. So,
so now you're out and you're going to alcohol to
help fill whatever void was left there, it sounds like. Yeah,
Speaker 2 (14:43):
lots of peer pressure, lots of like.
Oh what do I do, you know, and just trying
to figure that out. I don't really have like an identity,
you know, I don't I don't my identity was like,
oh I'm a I'm a marine whatever um but now
I'm out just kind of um circulating through different jobs
and stuff and and just kind of drinking my life
(15:06):
away I really was and so I got um.
Very sick, um, just.
Uh, organ function was plummeting dramatically very, very dramatic at
one point. I was 27 and um.
(15:26):
I lost maybe close to like 60, 65 pounds, um,
just because I was, I was starting to just have
that dramatic, uh, dysfunction in, in my body and, um,
and that was pretty scary like, um, I got some
um brain scans from doctor's office and just was really
(15:49):
scared like just starting to lose like.
Um, just going into panic every time I, I drove
a car, you know, stuff like that, um, so just
losing like functionality in, in real life situations as a
seven year old guy, you know, and, um.
And I'm like this, this isn't good, you know, um, so.
(16:14):
Just really scared like I was having trouble sleeping at
night and um.
And I think I, I finally just came to a
breaking 0.1 evening and, and I just like I just
cried out to God. I was like I know I
know he's real he's there but you know if, if
(16:35):
he really hears me like it maybe.
Maybe he'll do something about this, you know, and so I,
I like I just said God like Jesus like I
I know that Jesus is God and if if you
really are real and you hear me right now, um,
would you.
(16:57):
Just give me sleep, you know, something as simple as that.
Just like give me, give me some rest right and, um,
and I kid you not, like, um, I woke up
like right after I prayed that like 8 hours later, like,
you know, slept all the way through the night it
was crazy at the time that was like uh just
(17:17):
a shock so
Speaker 1 (17:18):
that was like a miracle to your body yeah it
was to be able to rest yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
And, and I woke up just like, wow, um, OK, um,
I think that might have been a fluke, you know.
But, uh, like, you know, no way, like he just
flukey
Speaker 1 (17:35):
miracle
Speaker 2 (17:36):
he heard me, you know, that one time and just like,
you know, so you know it it happens like over
and over.
But every time I would, I would pray that like
I seriously would just like wake up like actually
Speaker 1 (17:50):
answered my,
yeah,
Speaker 2 (17:52):
he was giving me rest and.
Um, and so I was starting to like sleep through
the nights and um then he woke me up one
time it was like 3 in the morning and I
just hear um out of this ear like my name
being called it's just Josiah
Speaker 1 (18:10):
out of your left ear and audible of Josiah
Speaker 2 (18:13):
it
felt like somebody was there and I, I lived alone,
you know, I'm like.
What was that? I woke up.
I I wake up and I'm like,
Is there's somebody here like you know like looking around
the house like.
What's going on? And I was like that, that was
not a dream, you know.
(18:33):
And so I, I'm like once again maybe it's just
a fluke you know like maybe, maybe it's like just
my mind messing with me. I don't know and um
so I go back to sleep well that happens like
another two more times and so I'm like, OK.
I, I did pray
Speaker 1 (18:55):
and you had no prophet Eli to go talk to
the priest Eli, like you're Samuel, like, what's going on?
Go listen, say it as I, Lord, speak. Your servant listens.
Did you say that? Oh, OK. Well then you, I
guess next time, right, right.
Speaker 2 (19:09):
But so after like the 3rd time I'm, I'm like, OK,
he's he's like literally calling my
Speaker 1 (19:15):
name.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Wow, um, like literally and um.
So
Speaker 1 (19:20):
there had to be some moms, dads, grandmas people praying
for you.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
Yes, there were there, they still are,
Speaker 1 (19:26):
yeah, yeah,
Speaker 2 (19:28):
seriously, and, and so I was like, OK, like I
gotta figure out who this guy is who's calling my
name like he knows me. I feel I really felt like.
Like a father like.
Like calling his son in, you know, inside like just come,
just come back home you know and so I was like, OK,
(19:49):
like if that's if that's the case I'm gonna give
you everything I got. I asked for healing. I asked
for him to completely heal me and to use like
that story for not myself but for many others and
in whatever capacity he didn't have to but he did
he he's healed me completely.
(20:10):
And more and then some here I am, you know, running, uh,
track it and I
Speaker 1 (20:16):
see it. I see you running with the the young
bucks the youngins, you're 30 and these people were like
20 years old and you're keeping up. You're leading the pack.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
It's pretty wild. So, but the bigger part is like.
The surrenderance, it's like, yeah, OK, like I said, Jesus,
I am yours now wow and but that that comes with,
you know, another side of the coin is, you know,
I said, so if I'm yours like.
(20:44):
You have to be mine too so that's that surrenderance
is like, OK, you, you're my God and I'm, I'm
your son now so it's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
I was gonna ask, I think you kind of answered
my my next question, but it sounds like, yeah, God
definitely got a hold of your attention. And uh what
would you say to somebody who is in that.
Initial spot of God, if you're real, blank because I'm
sure if not all of us in this room, a
lot of uh Christians and or unbelievers at one time
(21:20):
in their life will say, God, if you're real.
What would you say to a person in that place
right now, whether they're in high school or college where
they're crying out to God and they're saying, God, if
you're real, what would you say to them? How to wait,
how to, how to hear? I mean, obviously the Lord
gave you a good old fashioned audible Josiah. Yeah, yeah.
(21:42):
What would you say to somebody going through that?
Speaker 2 (21:43):
I think he, he knows like where you're at.
He doesn't give us anything we can't handle and so
like he he searches our hearts and he knows exactly
where we lie with him and so if if you
don't know just like just ask him and like where
(22:06):
where are you in my life I I, I'm pretty
sure he'll show you in some way or another it
might not be what you want us see.
It's, you know, he's gonna show you something.
Speaker 1 (22:21):
So look for that thing that he's showing you. Yeah,
it's good. Wow. Why I didn't see that coming. That
was great. That was, that was great.
Um, so Zach, I mean, similarly, as you, you, you know,
you've been able to kind of mentor these guys in
your FCA role and, uh, I don't know what, where
do you see your, your journey that led you here, uh,
(22:45):
and you got married recently. That's awesome. Yeah, you're, you're
like a professional, what? 3 months married? You're just ready
to tell everybody how to do marriage, 6 months marriage, sorry, yeah.
All right, even better. You're even more equipped and we
have a, we have a kid on the way. What?
Is this the first announcement publicly anywhere right here in
the campus Portal podcast, Zach announced there's a baby on
(23:06):
the way. Come on, Zach. Grandpa pup, that's your dad
is probably happy. Yes, sir. Wow. Well, that's cool. Thanks
for doing that.
This, this podcast is gonna take off because of that
right there. OK, well anyway, take off because of the Lord. Amen. Jesus.
There you go. We'll go with that. Stay focused. There
(23:28):
you go, main thing, the main thing, Jesus, not, not
your baby. I am Jesus. OK, that's good and uh
and uh having a kid.
that something so I'm stoked. So let me go back
a little bit if I can interject a little. You
4 years been doing FCA since you played baseball. Zach,
(23:48):
what challenges have you seen within the realm of reaching athletes?
I would say a challenge with a lot of um.
A challenge with a lot of athletes and, and I, there,
I guess it just, it varies between, um, and I
don't want to be too general, but everybody's got their,
(24:09):
everybody's got their struggles, um everybody deals with, um, deals
with sin, even on a Christian campus and even so
not everybody at Vanguard.
Walks with the Lord. I know a lot do, but
I also know a lot don't. So it's, it's, um,
it's a delicate, essentially walk, especially for myself if you're
(24:31):
speaking to me from my professional side, um, and I've,
what I've learned with how I've.
Essentially over the last 4 years, um, I think one
of the big things that I've taken away professionally is
a ministry of presence. Well, I don't know about you,
but I'm ready to take my middle aged body and
(24:53):
run the race marked out for me. Whether you're an
athlete or a mathlete, see what I did there?
Either way we need to be ready to live for
Christ with everything we have. I hope you're encouraged by
Zach and Peyton and Josiah and what they shared about
their stories and how God is using them because really
(25:15):
as we all run this race marked out for us,
we keep our eyes on Jesus that's what it's all about.
So I hope you were encouraged. Don't forget to follow
Zach at on Instagram. That's at Zach ZAK_attack ATTK. Uh
you can go there or just go to FCA.org for
more information on the fellowship of Christian athletes. Join us
(25:36):
next time on Kingdom and Culture as we continue to
seek to advance the kingdom of God in our culture today.
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