October 20, 2025 • 55 mins
We sit down with Desmond Cook, Stanford scholar-athlete turned Miami Dolphins chaplain and FCA leader, to trace a path from loss and pride to surrender and purpose. A brother’s legacy, a parking-lot breakthrough, and a new call reshape what success means on campuses and in the NFL.
• family roots in faith and discipline
• from nerd to All-American and the Stanford choice
• the 12-year plan, injuries, and the end of an NFL dream
• brother’s influence and testimonies of changed lives
• grief, surrender, and a sunrise service turning point
• time stewardship for student athletes and priorities
• promise over problems, embracing strain for growth
• launching into ministry with FCA and regional impact
• Dolphins chapel culture, midweek study, and prayer
• integrity, contentment, and competing by the rules
• saved by grace for good works in every sphere
Stay with us until the end of our conversation for more information on this program and other unique offerings from God's Way Radio
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Episode Transcript
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Intro (00:01):
You're tuned in to Friends and Family, a God's way
radio exclusive where weintroduce you to some amazing
people.
In John chapter 15, verse 15,Jesus says, I have called you
friends for all things that Iheard from my father, I have
made known to you.
That's our aim, that God wouldbe made known to you.
Stay with us until the end ofour conversation for more
(00:22):
information on this program andother unique offerings from
God's Way Radio.
Desmond (00:27):
I'm Desmond Cook.
I am the uh director ofFellowship with Christian
Athletes down here in SouthFlorida.
It's a sport ministry that aimsto see the world transformed by
Jesus through the influence ofstudent athletes and coaches.
I'm also the chaplain for theMiami Dolphins.
And uh, but you know, probablymore important than all those
things, uh, just a son of God uhand a husband to the most
(00:49):
amazing wife in the history ofthe world, Sarah Cook.
Awesome, awesome.
Joey (00:53):
And Desmond, you know, I would love to hear a little bit
about just your background, yourupbringing, where where'd you
grow up, uh, what was familylike growing up?
Did you always grow up uhknowing church?
Tell us a little bit about theearly years.
Desmond (01:06):
Yeah, no, I love it.
Uh so uh originally fromNashville, Tennessee, uh, but
raised down here in SouthFlorida majority of my life.
My parents are both nativeFloridians from Dade County,
one's from uh Daniel Beach.
And uh they brought my brotherand I up in the ways of the
Lord.
So we grew up going to churchand uh knowing right from wrong
and things of that nature.
(01:26):
And uh uh by the grace of God,uh just you know, coming out of
uh South Florida, the Lordallowed me to excel at a lot of
different things, bothacademically and athletically.
So I was a nerd from well, Iguess I shouldn't say was, I'm
still a nerd, but uh so I'm anerd, but also I was a nerd that
eventually grew into uh hisbody.
And so um wound up, you know,turning on a number of
(01:49):
scholarships and then going outto Stanford University, uh,
played ball out there, uh, youknow, majored in math,
organizational studies, um,chased the NFL dream for a few
years, and uh, you know, whenthat didn't work out, uh came
back, um, coached for a numberof years, um, you know, did the
arena thing, um, then eventuallystarted up a tech company,
(02:13):
built that up for a number ofyears, and uh then uh when the
Lord called my brother home, uh,who played 11 years in the NFL,
I'm the midget in the family.
Uh that that's sayingsomething.
I'm about to say if you're inthe studio, you you'd understand
why they laughed.
Omar (02:27):
I gotta interrupt because this is very and you can't see
it.
He doesn't have the body of anerd.
Yeah, he has the body of astud.
Trust me when I tell you this.
Go ahead.
Desmond (02:37):
Say that one more time for my wife.
Um but when the when the Lordcalled my brother home, what I
realized is my the Lord wasusing my brother, and I know I'm
probably going way ahead andyou have to reel me back in.
Joey (02:48):
Yeah, yeah, but I I'm liking where it's going.
Desmond (02:50):
But the but the Lord was using my brother the entire
time, unbeknownst to me, uh, tokind of serve as an anchor point
for me.
Like uh so when the NFL thingdidn't work out for me the way I
had envisioned it, according tothe 12-year plan that I
submitted to God, uh, you know,I it became like this one
compromise after the other on mypart where I was a bit jaded.
You know, I thought God hadreneged on this deal that we
(03:12):
had, not realizing no, that wasyour deal, not his.
Um, and so so when I was slowlybut surely immersing myself
back in the world, even though Iknew better, it was constantly
my baby brother, uh, all sixfoot eight, 340 pounds of him,
that would remind me, hey man,that's not what the Lord's
called you to do.
And I was swatted off like alike a gnat, like a mosquito,
(03:33):
like yeah, yeah, whatever.
Yeah.
Um, but it turns out he he wasliving his life to be more than
just an impact of my ownpersonal life.
Uh my brother played um youknow five years with uh Ray
Lewis and those guys inBaltimore uh with the Ravens and
uh played in a bunch of othersquads.
And at the memorial service, uhI began to hear from all these
(03:56):
people from around the country,former teammates, random folks I
didn't know.
And person after person wastalking about the fact that they
probably would not be walkingwith the Lord now if not for his
influence.
There's a couple on the vergeof divorce 10 years earlier that
said, Look, he said, Don't doanything till I get down there
during my bye week.
And if you know anything aboutNFL, you get that one bye week.
It's the one chance you get tofinally just relax a little bit
(04:18):
with your family, stay off yourfeet.
And instead of doing that, withyou know, when he had his own
wife and kids, he said, I'mgonna fly down there, we're
gonna pray this thing out.
And here they were 10 yearslater, saying, We're we're
together stronger than we'veever been, in part because he
came and he prayed with us andwe were ready to just hang it
up.
And so uh he it turns out hewas using his entire life, not
(04:39):
just his football platform andan influence, but all of his all
of his adult life to reallyimpact the kingdom, and uh that
that that weighed heavily,heavily on me, yeah uh made me
become even more introspective.
Like, hey, am I really doingwhat the Lord has called me to
do?
And uh, you know, we'll we'llcircle back on that and I'll get
(04:59):
into more detail.
Joey (05:00):
Yeah, I mean, just to to hone in on what we just heard,
he was uh he was a player, heyeah, he wasn't a chaplain, he
wasn't a coach, he didn't have aposition, he was doing his job,
he was living the dream in asense of a lot of athletes.
Yeah, but on top of that, orunder that, or around that, was
a son of God, a a Christiantrying to see God change other
(05:22):
people's lives around him.
Desmond (05:24):
Yeah, son of God and an ambassador for the kingdom,
right?
Like he was on mission each dayof his life when he was calling
folks at 5 30 in the morning.
I thought it was just me.
It turns out it was a wholebunch of people asking him, Hey,
have you prayed yet?
You know, like type of thing.
And um so the impact he had uhnot just again, not just on my
(05:44):
life, and not just on some ofthe individuals I mentioned,
I'll I'll never forget about uhfive years ago.
Um you know, back when I wasserving as chaplain for the FAU,
uh Ray Lewis on the sideline,his son was uh at the time was
playing for FAU.
And at that point, those twohadn't played together probably
in over ten years.
It had been five years at thatpoint since my brother had
passed away.
(06:05):
And still, unprompted,unsolicited, in the middle of a
game, he walks over to me, youknow, he looks, you know, he
knows he knows, you know, thatwe're related, right?
My last name's Cook.
My brother and I are verysimilar features-wise, and he
just comes up to me, he's like,he's like, Cook.
And I just want you want you toknow, man, your brother, it
(06:25):
still hurts my heart.
You know, and he was just goingon about the impact and
influence my brother.
My brother wasn't a draft pick,right?
He wasn't a perennial starter,pro bowler, anything.
My brother battled every yearjust to make a roster.
And it did not stop him fromusing his life, even within that
locker room setting, toinfluence those around him.
Omar (06:47):
That's what let me ask you a question because I I dealt in
grief share uh at CalvaryChapel for many years.
But the loss of your brother atthat an early age, how did that
impact you and your walk withChrist?
Because that was a very, veryshocking thing for a young man
like him.
And you lost more than just abrother.
I mean, you l you you lost abrother in Christ and a family
(07:10):
member.
How did you handle that?
Desmond (07:12):
Yeah, it was crazy.
I mean, uh to your point, notonly was he my blood brother,
not only was my brother inChrist, he was my best friend.
Like he, you know, he was thebest man at my wedding six
months prior to his passing.
And um we we just spoke on thephone two hours earlier when I
get the when I get the call.
Uh, we worked out two daysprior to we worked out together
(07:33):
two days prior to his passing.
Um and the lot one of the lastthings I say to him, it was the
morning of his 10-yearanniversary, the first day in a
brand new house he had just uhbought for his family.
He had dropped the kids offwith me during for the summer,
like he normally would do.
And and so we kind of joked.
I was like, look, well, it'syou know, I said it sounds like
your breath stinks, so go backto sleep.
(07:54):
Uh wish your wife a happyanniversary.
I'll talk to you later.
Um, and so the impact it had onme and finding that out, um,
the initial impact was justdisbelief.
Like, what are you talkingabout?
Like, I just spoke to him acouple hours ago.
Nothing was wrong.
Uh, but then like after thatinitial initial shock uh hit me,
(08:15):
I just began to think about,and I know it sounds crazy, but
I was like, man, I don't know ifI'd be doing what I was doing
now.
I was at that point in my life,I'm walking with the Lord, you
know, I'm I'm serving the Lordand things of that nature.
But I was like, I don't know ifI'd be where I'm at right now
with the Lord, if not for mybaby brother being so persistent
and almost annoying at times.
(08:37):
Uh and I began to think aboutlike, yeah, I missed my brother
already, but I would not want tohave him come back, right?
I knew where he was.
Like, why would I wish that onanybody?
Joey (08:47):
Let me ask you this, and and it's you know, a bit
personal, but how how did hepass or what happened if you're
able to still don't even knowfor sure.
Desmond (08:55):
I don't know for sure.
His his his his wife wouldknow, but you know, it was
either a heart attack orpulmonary emulism.
I've heard like one of I'veheard both of those.
How old?
Joey (09:03):
36 years old.
Oh my goodness.
36 years old.
And how were you at how oldwere you at the time?
Desmond (09:07):
Uh 38.
Joey (09:08):
We're two years apart.
Desmond (09:09):
Man.
Joey (09:09):
Yeah.
And how long ago was it?
10 years.
I just tricked you into sayingyour age.
Oh, you didn't have to trickme.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
You didn't have to trick me,trust me.
I'm a told.
No, no, no.
Live radio.
Sometimes you go you go for ajoke and it doesn't land.
Um uh I'm sorry, I just lightin the mood there.
Uh the uh me trying.
Uh Desmond, uh man, 36 and 38.
(09:32):
Um, he passes away so uhsurprisingly.
Um this is during his NFLcareer.
Desmond (09:39):
He's no, he he probably just retired, maybe a few years
earlier.
Uh he he concluded his play upin Detroit.
Um, and then I think maybe aseason or two go by, you know,
he finally kind of officiallyretires, started teaching up
there in Baltimore, uh teachingand coaching.
And um, yeah.
Yeah.
Joey (10:00):
So rewinding a bit, like you you mentioned that we would,
but also re greeting again uhanyone that's just tuned in,
you're listening to Godswayradio.
We actually have a specialguest in the studio, uh, via or
thanks to our friends at CBMC.
Uh, we have uh Miami Dolphinchaplain Desmond Cook and like
he said, more importantly, uh ason of God and and a husband.
(10:24):
Uh, but we're grateful to havehim here just to share his
story.
Uh, you know, Desmond, the hopeis that we could talk about,
man, just your testimony withthe Lord, but also some of the
cool things that that you get todo and and where the Lord has
you and where the Lord has hadyou.
So we'll see what we can coveruh today.
Desmond, you mentioned that youplayed uh sports at a
(10:45):
collegiate level.
Uh let's go back to to um uhPop Warner or high school or you
know, how was sports when youwere a kid?
I mean, I I feel like sportsare so much different now.
Give us a little uh insight.
Was it just a given?
Man, you boys, you're gonnaplay, you know, you're built to
play.
How was that?
Desmond (11:01):
So you'll never know now by looking at me.
My my first sports uh weresoccer, gymnastics, and platform
diving.
Okay.
Sounds amazing.
Omar (11:11):
We're not diving today, then.
Desmond (11:13):
No, sir.
You're not diving today.
I jump in, the water's jumpingout now.
But those, you know, but my myfather, uh my parents exposed my
brother and I to, they wantedto expose us just to a multitude
of things and experiences, andthen we can kind of make our own
decision as to what we wantedto do.
So I pretty much played everysport, enjoy them all.
Um, as I grew up and uh uh gotto high school, I remember
(11:36):
coming to high school at 135pounds.
I'm clearly not thinking, yeah,I'm gonna play big time college
ball, let alone anything beyondthat.
So my only goal when I when Igot to high school was like I
wanted to go to Harvard on theacademic scholarship.
That was the plan.
Uh, and so I'm working theplan.
I'm in math club, chess club,band chorus, academic games.
Um, you know, I'm still playingball, but you know, I'm I'm I'm
(11:58):
I'm a realist, I'm apragmatist, 135 pounds.
I'm not going anywhere.
Sophomore year get up to 165,junior year, uh I eventually get
up to 225, and and then and atthat point, I've already I've
I've placed sixth in the statein discus, my sophomore year,
first time ever picking up adisc.
My junior year, I won the statechampionship.
(12:19):
Uh, and then so now I'm gettingrecruited by everybody for both
football and track.
And then by my senior year, uhboth basically all American,
both in football and track, Iwas number two in the country in
the discus.
And uh so I pretty much andthen of course academically I'm
where I want to be.
So turned down Harvard.
Uh thought I was gonna go toFlorida State because that was
(12:39):
my dream school coming up.
Okay, took my trips to FloridaState, No to Shame, Michigan
State.
Um, and then of course I get aphone call from Bill Walsh, who
was at Stanford at the time.
And at that point, I was like,done, I know where I'm going
right now.
Joey (12:51):
So that's kind of me coming up, yeah.
Yeah.
Uh what's the Bill WalshStanford connection?
Was it a big name at that time?
Desmond (12:58):
Or was it just I forgot you're younger.
You don't know anything aboutthese things.
Anybody over the age ofprobably like 40, you know, like
if the the name Bill Walsh issynonymous with genius when it
comes to football.
Like he won multiple SuperBowls with the 49ers.
He was kind of the originatorof the West Coast offense uh in
(13:19):
the NFL.
Um, and so for for me to get acall from him uh at that time, I
again, and then of course, heputs a track coach on, which
tells me that they're gonnaallow me to do both at the
premier academic institution inthe country.
Uh Harvard's like the Stanfordof the of the east.
And uh so uh so just theopportunity to have the best of
(13:42):
both worlds academicathletically made perfect sense.
And I wouldn't have to dealwith the snow up in
Massachusetts.
I'd get to deal with the palmtrees coming down Palm Ave down
in the Bay Area.
Joey (13:52):
So that's what it was.
Nice, nice.
Uh looking again at your schoolyears, man.
Um you know, there's so manydifferent people that could be
listening.
There's parents listening,there's students listening.
You know, we actually have apopulation here of students and
families that listen to thestation, that listen live to
refresh.
You're listening live.
Uh, you know, I encourage you,I haven't given out the phone
(14:13):
number yet.
If you want to call or text, wewe love to get your text
messages, your phone calls hereat the studio.
And I always have people say,Oh, but it was an interview, I
didn't want to interrupt.
First of all, it's notinterruption.
We love hearing the phonecalls, but you can text if if
you feel that it's better totext, text or call us right now
while we're live in the studio,October the 20th, with Desmond
Cook, a guest that CBMC hasbrought with them today.
(14:37):
786-313-3115.
786-313-3115.
What could you tell us aboutbalancing the studies and the
athletics about maybe thingsthat your parents instilled in
you or things that you learnedthrough the years uh to really
(14:57):
navigate and succeed in thosehigh school years?
Desmond (15:01):
Yeah, I think one of the first things is realizing
there are 168 hours in a week,and uh, and and this comes from
a conversation I had with TyronWillingham.
He he took over at Stanfordafter Bill Walsh resigned.
And so by the time I get outthere, he's my coach.
And I remember I had this oneparticular semester.
Um, I think I wound up gettinglike two C's, you know, and it
was uncharacteristic, but youknow, in my mind, I'm like, you
(15:24):
know, like I'm I'm doingfootball, track, I'm doing
community service, and I'mtaking some of the hardest
classes you'll ever take in theworld.
Like, it's okay.
And he was like, No, I didn'tbring you out here for that.
He's like, What's your what'syour your priorities look like?
And of course, I'm trying tosay the right thing.
And I was like, Oh, you know,academics first, athletics
second.
And he's like, Well, there are168 hours in a week, right?
(15:45):
I was like, Yes, sir.
So isn't there enough time tobe excellent in both?
And I was like, uh, and youknow, and I didn't realize it be
until that conversation, butthat's that's the number and one
thing I tell all of ourathletes, uh student athletes
that I that I speak with inminister to now.
There's enough time if wechoose to, and I understand
this, we all have choices,right?
(16:06):
Uh, if we choose to lean intouh the call that the Lord has
called us to, there's enoughtime to be excellent in both of
those things.
Um, you know, but you do, butyou have to make decisions.
You have to be willing whenyour friends are going to
parties or going to the mall ormovies or whatever kids do
nowadays to say, like, hey, Istill have homework because the
life of a student athlete isdifferent from regular students.
(16:28):
Students get out of school atthe at the high school level
245.
If you're on a college campus,you know, you have your classes,
you're done by noon orwhatever, and then you do
whatever you feel like.
If you play sport at the highschool level, you get out of
school like everybody else, butthen you have practice somewhere
between 3 and 6 p.m.
You're not getting home until7, 7:30 p.m.
(16:49):
And when everybody else hasbeen done with homework for four
hours, you're just gettingstarted at the collegiate level.
Pretty similar, right?
You know, uh, so it's just amatter of what you prioritize.
And if my goal, if my aim is,hey, I want to live my best life
right now, cool.
Go ahead and do that.
But do recognize that meanssomething else will have to be
sacrificed.
Interesting.
Joey (17:09):
So man, that's it right there.
Thank you for getting no.
I mean, that's so that's somuch wisdom there, especially
that how you wrapped it up thereat the end.
You can live your best lifenow, quote unquote, but you
sacrifice the future, or you caninvest now in your future,
right?
Is that is that kind of whatyou were getting at?
Desmond (17:27):
Look, I I'll I'm I'm gonna use a biblical uh uh uh
analogy.
Numbers chapter 13, right?
For those who if you haven'tread it, read it when we get
off.
Uh God says, Hey, look, puttogether some men, go spy out
the land that I'm going to giveto you.
God is basically saying, Hey, Ihave a promise for you.
I just simply want you to gotake a look at it.
They go in there 40 days,they're in the land, they see
it's all that they had heard anddreamt about, but they also
(17:50):
recognize, man, there's gonna besome challenges if we go ahead
and take this land, right?
They got these giants there,they got these well-fortified
walls.
And so instead of leaning onGod's promises, they began to
focus more on the problems.
And I'd say for those who arestruggling now, oftentimes
because we only focus on theproblems, not the promise.
And here's the thing uh, partof the reason why they focus on
the problems, because I think alot of them, like a lot of us,
(18:13):
we want God to show up and dowhat only he can do.
We want him to show up andjust, you know, snap a finger
and make it happen, but we don'twant the strain that he expects
us to endure to embrace inorder to get there.
And so they they recognize it'sgonna be tough to take this
land, much like some of ourkids.
Hey, in order for me to getthat scholarship, in order for
(18:33):
me to to whatever that thing is,it's gonna require real strain.
It's not a one-hitter quitter.
I can't show up one day andeverything's gonna happen at the
snap of a finger.
I have to be willing to endurethe strain of studying, the
strain of missing the party, thestrain of the extra practices
or whatever it may be.
Speaker 7 (18:51):
Yeah, amen.
Omar (18:52):
Yeah, Desmond, when you finish a Stanford or when you're
in your senior year, you youhave like a plan with God to
play in the pros or somethingsimilar to that.
Talk talk a little bit aboutyour transition from Stanford to
the pros, because you weresuccessful from high school to
college.
You had all kinds of choices,right?
Desmond (19:11):
Correct.
Omar (19:11):
But when it when you finished college, your choices
were not as varied.
Let's talk a little bit aboutthe difference.
Desmond (19:18):
Yeah, I mean, yeah, the plan I submitted guy was uh uh
during my sophomore year.
I had the full 12-year planlaid out from like, look, in two
years or 12 years.
Oh, brother, yeah, I know.
Brother was ambitious.
I'm sure the guy looked at theplan and started laughing.
Jesus, look at this fool righthere.
Um, so so ball is done.
Um, you know, I had my plans.
Uh I chased it as far as Icould possibly chase it, but
(19:41):
eventually phone calls stoppedcoming in, and now I have to be
both ready and willing to pivot.
Um, that's another life lesson.
Like, it don't all like I'dlove to sell you that dream that
if you just give your life tothe Lord, anything you ask,
He'll give to you.
Like, they don't it don'treally work like that.
Um, you know, ask Joseph howthat whole thing went.
(20:03):
God gave him a vision that hewould hold a position of
prominence, and the next thinghe knows, he's thrown in the
pit, sold into slavery, throw alied on, thrown in the prison.
Like that's kind of how lifeoperates.
But here's what I've alsolearned uh the bad things that
occur in my life, it ain'talways really just about me.
And the good things that happenin my life really just aren't
about me either.
(20:23):
In totality, God has his planthat is working through both the
ups and our downs.
Joey (20:28):
Yeah, we we always look at ourselves as the main character
of the story, you know, andwe're not, right?
If you really look at it, Jesusis the main character all day.
We're a part of his story, youknow.
Uh, there's a there's an olddead guy uh that said, I don't
know, I don't remember.
I just I saw this quote and itwas like, oh my god.
I saw the quote, I saw well, Isee the quote and it says, Oh,
(20:49):
seven died 1790, whatever.
A Christian back in the day.
More dead than old, I guess.
So anyway, so he said, youknow, he said, preach the
gospel, be forgotten.
And it's just like, all right,you know, God, I don't need I
don't need my name remembered,right?
So man, just just hearing, I'vebeen thinking about that
lately, hearing it confirmed.
It's like, hey, you're not themain character, you know.
(21:11):
Um, but but but great question,Omar, and and uh if you don't
mind, again, this is some of thekind of like the cool insights,
right?
That maybe people don't hearabout or know.
Can you even dig into thatdeeper?
How is it that you were sosuccessful in high school,
leading into an amazing collegeopportunity, so successful in
(21:32):
college, but what do you meanthat it didn't take off in the
pros, or it didn't, what werethe hindrances, or do you not
know it just didn't click?
Desmond (21:39):
Or yeah, I think I I think in part, you know, if if I
could be a have have an honestassessment of myself, I know
pride kicks in from time totime, but it's tough to play in
the NFL.
Like them dudes are reallytalented and as good as I
thought I was, and I yeah, I canblame the injuries, two
fractured ankles, a shouldersuplexation, fractured capsule,
torn cuff, all within 18 months.
Those certainly played a role,but like there's still a
(22:01):
likelihood, even with none ofthose things happening, I may
not have made it.
Joey (22:06):
Gotcha.
Desmond (22:06):
I can't tell you how many guys come through.
Uh I see every year duringtraining camp.
We you know, start off with 90guys, dudes who were like all
conference, you know, variouslevels of all American coming
out of college.
This is the creme de la creme.
And then when the train whenthis when the training camp is
over, when it's the regular whenthose final cuts are made,
there's still gonna be 30 plusguys that may never play
(22:31):
football again.
That's the nature of thisbusiness.
Omar (22:33):
It's an interesting thing because now your primary dream
is gone.
And one of the most w wonderfulthings in this country is that
most of us share uh uh go afterthe primary dreams, but we end
up with secondary and tertiarydreams.
Joey (22:47):
Yeah.
Omar (22:47):
So now what was your secondary dream?
Once the dream of playing theNFL is is gone, where does
Desmond go?
Desmond (22:55):
Yeah.
So that was the thing.
Um, it was crazy.
As much of a nerd as I was myentire life, somehow or another,
I morphed, I became a jock,right?
Like where I put all I put Iput a ton of eggs into that one
basket and I refused, like wheneven when I wasn't getting calls
anymore, even when my agentwasn't calling back anymore,
(23:17):
like I was like, no, like thisis still this is still the plan.
Uh so for me, I I I didn't Idid not prepare myself uh
initially for what was next.
Now, unfortunately, the workthat had been done up to then it
the Lord allows that to stillgive me a leg up and an
opportunity when I when I wasfinally serious about moving on
(23:38):
to the next phase.
But I also say this um as muchas it's it's important to to
have a plan uh and all thosethings, uh more important than
all of those things, I think, isto have a legitimate and
earnest, a real relationshipwith the Lord.
I told you I'll I grew up inchurch.
I knew right from wrong, right?
I I could check off all theboxes, um but in hindsight, I
(24:03):
looked back and I realized whatI really had was more of a
transactional relationship,right?
I would do the right thingsbecause I was getting the
results I was looking for.
And so in my mind, I was like,well, I don't want to ruin a
good thing.
I mean, I definitely don't wantto go to hell.
I mean, I I grew up in SouthFlorida, man, it's already hot.
So like I didn't want that.
So I'm like, yeah, if you askme point blank, do you you know,
do you accept Jesus?
(24:23):
Yeah, of course.
Because I knew the alternate,the alternative was you going to
hell.
So I would say the rightthings, I would do the right
things, but you know what?
I lacked the right heart.
I didn't have the relationship.
So here's here's a consequenceof that.
When stuff happens, when lifepunches you in the mouth, and it
will for everybody as long asyou keep living, it's going to
happen at some point.
I talked about the fact that Imade all these compromises all
(24:46):
of a sudden, and in part it'sbecause I didn't have solid
foundation.
The promise that I thought youknow I was in agreement with the
Lord on didn't come tofruition.
And so I began to look around,I look at the landscape, and I'm
like, like cats that I used tobeat that are still playing in
the league, uh, people that Iwould hang out with down in
South Florida who didn't lovethe Lord, wanted nothing to do
(25:06):
with them at all, but their lifeseemed to be great.
Well, I was like, well, look,well, God's not like us, He
won't renege.
So, you know, like heaven ismine, but I can begin to kind of
live like the rest of theworld.
And it was only because Ididn't have a real relationship
with them.
Uh, but I do thank God againfor my baby brother and people
like my brother who the Lord putinto my and my life and
constantly were reminding me,hey man, that's not it.
(25:29):
Yeah, that's not the standard.
God has a different plan foryou.
Joey (25:32):
So when did you make the turnaround and it stopped being
transactional and it startedbeing real?
Desmond (25:39):
Yeah, I I still remember um Easter service uh at
Lockhart Stadium of CalvaryChapel, and um, you know, I
again still checking boxes, youknow.
I was like, I'm gonna go toEaster sunrise service, but I
literally just came straightfrom the club, probably smelled
like I don't know how manydifferent drinks I had that
particular night.
Somehow another got glitter onme and came, you know, you know,
(26:01):
all right, but scratch that.
Some of someone's got toexplain that to their kids.
So but so here I was, I'm inthe car, I'm in the parking lot
early because I didn't go home.
I knew if I went home, I wouldnever make it.
So I came straight to thestadium.
I'm in the parking lot, youknow, 5:30 in the morning.
And when I see other cars pullin and people start to walk into
the stadium, I'm like, let meget ready to get out of here,
(26:22):
uh, go into the stadium.
But when I try to get out ofthe car, I'm like, ooh, no, let
me sit back down.
Because, you know, again, thenight was a little rough.
By the time I woke up, thesecond service was already done.
I'm in the parking lotpractically by myself, with the
exception of a few people thatwere still picking up stuff in
the parking lot.
And like in that moment, inthat car, sweating profusely,
(26:45):
but utterly broken, I began tothink about like all the
different things, those burningbush moments uh the Lord had had
blessed me with.
I I began to hear my brotherreminding me, or Pastor Bob, or
something that he would havepreached back in the time, or or
some random person that bumpedinto me instead, you know, while
I got two drinks in my hand,yeah, yeah, I sense the blood of
(27:06):
Jesus on you.
And I'm like, I hear all thesethings, and I'm like, man, God's
been trying to communicate withme for a long time.
And I was just broken.
And I think for the first timein my life, I was truly
surrendered in that particularmoment.
Do you remember what year thatwas?
I would have been 30.
I don't even know, I don't evenknow how old I am right now.
(27:28):
Uh I was probably about it wasprobably 31 years old at the
time.
Yeah.
Joey (27:32):
So about 10 years ago plus.
Desmond (27:35):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Five years ago, you know, three years ago.
Desmond (27:37):
Uh but no, but uh 17 years ago now.
17.
Joey (27:41):
Wow, man.
Omar (27:42):
What a so you were still partying at 31.
Desmond (27:45):
Oh my goodness.
Well, I was a late boomer.
I didn't I never partied untilfootball ended.
Omar (27:49):
Yeah, because the athletics, the demands, you
know, but the question here isafter football, how did you make
a living?
Now you're 31 years old.
What was you didn't playfootball?
How were you?
Desmond (28:00):
Well, I mean, yeah, I mean, the beauty is, I mean, I
still had a standard degree, soit was like, you know, I can get
a job anywhere.
Uh initially, I just I startedteaching.
Uh, but eventually, uh, youknow, I got as much as I love
working with young people, andit just ain't pay anything.
So I went to the privatesector, uh, initially with
Relief Group International, uh,reorganized uh the
infrastructure there.
And then eventually uh with mypartners, we started up a tech
(28:23):
company, uh Multiply Inc., whichhad a couple different
verticals, rapid response, MC3,healthcare technologies.
Um, and so we're just you know,we're building apps and other
uh tech you know technologyplatforms.
Brower County named the dayafter our company back in 2014.
Um uh uh October 14th, 2014, uhback at that time.
(28:44):
And um, so that's how you knowwe pay the bills.
Joey (28:48):
Yeah, yeah.
So you you get right with theLord.
Was there anything that God didright away?
Like, you know, some peoplethey get saved and they they
call someone, you know, I gottaapologize or I gotta go fix
this, or what what happenednext?
Desmond (29:02):
Um so no.
Um the next I probably stillwent hung out with some friends,
but I'll say this appetitesbegan to change.
Like amen.
Um, and so and and so I I saythat because I think there are
some folks when they do come toChrist, and the hope is that all
the temptations, all the likethat we we pray that those
(29:26):
things uh flee from us uh themoment we accept Christ and
things of that issue.
But the reality is there's thisother process.
Paul would say, Man, look, yourflesh and and your spirit are
at war with one another.
And oftentimes for those of uswho come to Christ, especially
we do so late in life, guesswhat, buddy?
You've been living in yourflesh for 30 years, and now
you've been living you knowfilled with the spirit for about
(29:47):
one month.
You know, it's gonna take sometime uh for you to to to to to
to hear his voice more clearlyand things of that nature.
Joey (29:55):
Yeah, that's an encouragement, you know.
For anyone listening, again, uhfor anyone that just tuned in.
In.
We're kind of just past ourhalfway mark.
We're live here in the studioweekdays from 3 30 to 4 30.
We have a guest with us,Desmond Cook, brought to you by
CBMC, uh Christian BusinessMen's Connection.
Omar's here with us.
And our phone lines are open asthey are whenever we're live in
(30:17):
the studio.
The phone number to call ortext if you have a question for
Desmond, a word ofencouragement.
The phone number is786-313-3115.
Again, the phone number to callor text right now before we
finish our live uh program at430 is 786-313-3115.
(30:37):
And Desmond, that's such anencouragement for anyone
listening that maybe they are anew believer or maybe they are
wrestling with a certain sin andare thinking, God, why haven't
you taken this away?
God, why isn't this gone?
And it's that that Christianlife.
It's that Christian walk.
Very similar to uh the theBible uh chapter that you
referenced earlier.
You know, you're you're in thepl promised land, but you still
(30:59):
have those battles.
Desmond (31:01):
In the already, but not quite yet.
Joey (31:03):
Already, but not quite yet.
Yes, sir.
Uh so Desmond, let's fastforward a bit.
How did you get involved withstudent athlete ministry, right?
I'm guessing that's one of thenext chapters of your life.
Absolutely.
Desmond (31:16):
Yeah, min I'd say ministry in general.
Okay.
Um, so I'm walking with theLord.
Uh I I began um preaching, or Iinitially started just leading
Bible studies at the church.
Um, then uh began, you know,preaching here and there, but
like I still wasn't pursuingthat.
(31:36):
It was just something that, youknow, as I studied more and
whatever.
But when my brother passed,that was kind of that seminal
moment, right?
Uh, because again, listening toall the people that were
impacted by him, not just me.
And now we're walking with theLord uh in part because for how
he allowed the Lord just to workthrough him.
I remember I'm back in myoffice that following Tuesday
(31:58):
morning, and I'm like, Lord, ifI'm not where I'm supposed to
be, uh let me know.
And yeah, it sounds great.
Uh, but when but when the Lordwas like, yeah, it's time to
move on, I was like, hold on,slow down, God.
You know, because you know,when I started this company, I
had plans.
I was trying to be like BlackZuckerberg around this thing.
Uh so you know, but so twoweeks later though, I prayed
(32:20):
again.
Um, and I think this time I wasactually ready for whatever the
answer is going to be.
And when the Lord was like,it's time to move on, yeah.
Uh, he didn't tell me what wasnext.
Um, I ultimately sell theshares of my company uh back to
my partners, and and then I gota phone call out of the blue
from some guy I never metbefore.
Uh, most of y'all probably knowhim down in South Florida, Mike
(32:41):
Blanc.
He was the uh FCA director atthe time, uh, eventually uh
became the chaplain for theUniversity of Miami for a bunch
of years.
He's now the chaplain forUniversity of Auburn and our EVP
of Pro and Elite Sport for FCA.
I get a phone call from him.
Don't even know why I answeredthe phone because I didn't
recognize the number, but as youknow, Lord and his providence.
Mike invites me to a golffundraiser for FCA, tells me
(33:02):
about the ministry, and for thefirst time, I really began to
see how I can serve in atangible way.
That's how I got involved withFCA and the rest is history.
That's it.
Omar (33:11):
Let me ask you a question because we haven't gotten there
yet.
Desmond (33:14):
Yeah.
Omar (33:14):
Where's your wife?
Right now?
No, where's your wife?
In other words, we talked aboutfootball.
When does she go to the book?
We talked about the board, andI think that's wonderful.
Yeah.
But we gotta get the missus inhere.
Oh no, she's listening.
You better make sure you bringher in.
Oh, you already know.
Desmond (33:30):
Uh look, I I couldn't do what I do if not for my wife.
Because my hours are crazy.
I don't I don't know many womenuh that would be as
comfortable, content, andsupportive of a husband that's
just gone a lot.
Yeah.
And in the spaces where I'moften at, because I'm a surround
about athletes, oftentimesbeing around athletes means
(33:51):
you're also surrounded by someother folks, right?
And uh, but my wife, you know,she loves the Lord, she loves
me, she trusts me, and it's allgood.
And look, when I came to her,remember, we're we're newlyweds
at the time when I'm gettingready to sell my company.
Uh we're newlyweds.
Six months after we gotmarried.
My best man, the first personshe met from my family, has
passed away.
(34:12):
And then only a few monthslater, I'm talking about, yeah,
babe.
So I know uh you know, sinceyou've known me, I've I've had
this tech company, but the Lordis calling me somewhere else.
I don't know who would havestayed.
Uh, but her response shockedme.
Uh, shouldn't have, but youknow, she was like, well, all
right, well, look, if this iswhat the Lord is telling you,
(34:32):
then then yeah, I'm not gonnastop you.
Joey (34:35):
Amen.
Desmond (34:36):
She did have one caveat though.
So look, but if the Lord shouldhappen to call us to like uh to
Iowa or something like that,let's make sure we go to them
together.
And so that was good, good.
Joey (34:46):
We we actually have a call that came in.
Let's take this call.
Good afternoon.
Where are you calling us from?
Speaker 6 (34:51):
Good afternoon.
I don't want to take up toomuch time because this is so
cool to have a dolphin chapmanon the phone, but um, my
youngest, she like pretends towatch football with my husband.
We all pretend to watchfootball with him, and um he's
always, you know, she's alwaysasking about players and this
and that.
I only know like the famouswords here and there, and um,
(35:13):
you know, it's always a lessoninto how to live your life
because for what is it to givethe world and lose your soul?
And I think that you'restanding in the gap of that, and
it's so powerful, and you havesuch an influence into God's
word there, and um, you know, myhusband's always telling them,
you know, yeah, he plays well,but well, you know, you gotta
(35:34):
pray for him because there's aman who'll tell him a little bit
of a story, and I'm like, Whycan't you say um he's like
whatever.
So he's uh he's always liketrying to tell them about yeah,
they're fat, yeah, he's gotLamborghini, but none of this
(35:55):
matters unless he's got Jesus.
So we always look for theplayers that are active with
Jesus and and really stand bywhat he says.
And so it's really, reallygreat story.
And I just have one of mychildren in here that would love
to pray over you um for whatyou're doing.
So her name is Jules.
Um, she's gonna pretend to knowwhat fulfillments.
Desmond (36:16):
Look, I receive all of that.
Let's go, Jules.
Speaker 5 (36:20):
Alright.
Thank you for having God thatwe have to talk to you and that
we're gonna frequency where wecan.
Thank you for sacrificing Godthat we are able to talk to
sacrifice and um thank you forum thank you for Joey who runs
this larger radio god, and heactually did a really good job
(36:43):
with this.
And thank you for Sesmond andhim speaking to the Dolphins
God, and uh the Dolphins teammembers can also get to know
you, Jesus, and we see them inheaven.
Speaker 7 (36:56):
Amen.
Thank you, Jewel.
Speaker 6 (37:00):
Cheering you on wholeheartedly now.
Joey (37:03):
Thank you.
Amen to that.
Thank you.
God bless you guys.
Speaker 6 (37:06):
Thank you, Mr.
Cook.
Joey (37:07):
God bless you, God bless you all.
Oh, that was the light of thiswhole thing.
That was sweet.
That was amazing.
Omar, you didn't get it on themic, but he said, that was
really amazing.
Omar (37:17):
That was the highlight of this whole thing.
Amen.
I mean, we can talk all wewant.
Here's a child.
Come on, what did Jesus say?
Desmond (37:23):
Man, I don't know.
But the children come on, man.
Amen.
That was amazing.
Joey (37:27):
That was amazing.
Thank you.
Thank you for calling.
You have time to call or text786-313-31 uh 15.
But uh yeah, thank you, Omar,for bringing uh Mrs.
Cook into the the storyline andthe picture.
She's you know, so many timesour wives are are that uh behind
the scenes pillar of support,you know, that that people don't
(37:50):
recognize, you know.
Uh and there's so many cheesy,funny ways to say, you know,
behind every strong man, there'sa strong wife, all that, you
know, beside every successfulman, there's an amazing woman,
all that stuff.
But it's true, you know, it'strue.
Um, Desmond, I would love tofast forward a little bit just
to hear more about uh whatyou're doing in FCA, kind of the
(38:10):
scope and reach of yourministry.
And again, the credit goes tothe Lord, and then some some
cool and fun things about whatyou do with the dolphins as
well.
Desmond (38:17):
No, absolutely.
Uh again, uh having taken uhtaken over uh the FCA ministry
down here in South Floridaalmost nine years ago, I guess.
Um, we we were kind of in ourinfancy compared to all other um
other places around thecountry.
Uh, but the Lord's justcontinued to do a mighty work.
Every year, what we've seen iswe've had more people uh that
(38:38):
have become either volunteers,come on staff, become donors,
become board members to help usto spread this gospel message uh
throughout the entire county,public, private, charter
schools.
Uh, we don't care.
Look, look, if if you chaseafter an ice cream chuck, we're
calling you an odd an athleteand you're gonna get this
gospel.
So, like, that's kind of ourapproach to it.
(38:58):
And over the last what fiveyears, um, I think the number is
5,100 young people and coacheshave made a decision to trust
Jesus uh with their lives.
Uh, we're excited.
November 1st, we have uh twosets of baptisms coming up for
kids in the southwest part ofBroward County and in the
central part.
(39:19):
Um we'll work we'll coordinatethe dates of some of the local
churches for the other areas.
Uh, but that's what we'reseeing.
We're seeing the uh kidsreceive the word of God, coaches
receive the word of God,respond to it, and then the next
phase, which is do somethingwith it, right?
They now have salvation andthey are being active on their
campuses and sharing the gospelthemselves.
(39:40):
Um, but it's the same approachI have with the dolphins as
well, which is like uh I wasexcited, you know.
I'm excited by uh our younglady uh here and and and we have
we the Lord has given us ateam.
I know the results aren't greaton the field yet.
Uh I promise it's gonna getturned around.
But here's what I can tell you.
(40:02):
Uh there our our midweek Biblestudy is three times larger than
it's ever been uh since I'vebeen there.
These men, after an entire longweek, they show up in the
office at 6:30 in the morning.
Uh by the time four o'clockrolls around, some of these
guys, most of these guys havetheir own families they'd like
to get home to and are stillwaiting an additional 30 to 45
(40:22):
minutes to get in the word ofGod in the middle of the week.
Um we have a team full of menthat love the Lord and that are
actively trying to go at andshare the word.
Like so, some of those guyswill be at our November 1st
baptism to just really encouragethese young athletes uh across
the sports spectrum uh and themtaking the next step of
(40:45):
obedience in their faith walk umby just publicly declaring to
the Lord to the world what theLord has already done on the
inside of them.
So I'm thankful for the guysthat we have.
Um and look, and they're all indifferent stages of their walk,
which is what makes the midweekBible study fun.
Uh, because we sit around kindof like how we do with the uh
the Tuesday night Bible study,you know, I'll facilitate, kind
(41:07):
of throw out the red meat, andthen watch these men as they
begin to kind of sharpen oneanother.
Um, or as Paul would say inEphesians, right?
That that uh work towards aunity of the faith, right?
And so, like I he has this onethought about something, he has
another thought, he'll pull fromscripture, they'll go.
And my job at that point, I'mthe bumper rail at the bowling
(41:28):
alley.
I my job is to make sure thisthing don't go into the gutter.
And uh so I'm blessed.
I I'm probably more blessedthan they are, I'm gonna be
quite frank, that we have peopleat that level that recognize
all that they have is by thegrace of God.
Amen.
Omar (41:44):
It's an interesting thing that you do there with the
dolphins, but here's myquestion: the bottom line in
terms of prayer, do you sit withyour players and do you pray to
win?
Or do you pray to play the gameright?
Yeah.
Because you get a combinationhere.
We all want to win.
Absolutely.
Okay, they went to Clevelandthinking they're gonna win, they
didn't go there thinkingthey're gonna lose.
(42:05):
They lost, but that's here andnot there.
But the whole idea is theprayer, the goal, is it about
winning and losing, quoteunquote, or about how to play
the game and let the Lord leadus where he needs to lead us.
Desmond (42:17):
So, one thing, if you ever stay after a game just for
a few minutes, you're gonnanotice around the 50-yard line,
uh, players and coaches andstaff from both teams come
together, um, and then we alljust pray.
Um because we know that we caneven do what we did without uh
without his grace, without hismercy.
Um I think we go for the biggerwin, clearly, as far as what we
(42:42):
pray for.
Everybody knows our desire onthe field.
Like, I want to win.
You know what else I want?
I don't know, I want 20 milliondollars.
Uh you know what else I want?
Like, you know what I'm saying?
Like, there's a lot of thingsin life that I want that I
desire, but the greatest of allthe desires, at least my hope,
is that whatever I do andwhatever the Lord allows me to
(43:02):
have or experience, that I'mable to glorify him in it.
What if you know it's like sowhen when Paul talks about the
secret to contentment, he'slike, Man, look, I I know how to
abound.
I also know how to be broughtlow.
Uh, I've had plenty and I'vehad lack, but through it all, I
recognize that I can do allthings, not four foot three guy
being a slammed down champion inthe NBA, but that I can do all
(43:26):
things, meaning I can accomplishwhat God has created me and
called me to do, yeah, in spiteof my circumstance.
And so our prayer is simplythis God help us to go out
there, play in such a way thatuh when the world looks at us,
yeah, they're able to recognizethat we do this game different.
Joey (43:42):
Yeah.
Omar (43:42):
It's interesting because in 2 Timothy 5 it says, anyone
who competes in athletics, he isnot crowned unless he competes
according to the rules.
And how does that apply to you?
In other words, if you're gonnacompete, compete, you're gonna
compete according to the rules.
Desmond (44:02):
Well, I mean, uh I think it's it's plain uh plain
language, right?
Like uh there's there's astandard by which we do things.
Uh we don't take shortcuts, youknow, we don't cut corners, we
don't take illegal, you know,get illegal edges to try because
it doesn't bring guy glory.
Uh and by the way, I'd say thatthat's more than just in the
(44:23):
sports sphere.
I'd say that's in the marketsin the marketplace.
You know, if your ability tobecome top earner at your job
came because you lied to yourclients, uh, you obfuscated, you
manipulated, it's the samething.
Same thing in pol in thepolitical realm as well.
Like so, no matter what thesphere of influence that we've
been called to, yeah, we play bythe rules and we do it with
(44:47):
excellence so that he is the onethat's glorified in it.
That's our approach.
Joey (44:51):
Yeah, I want to ask you something, and it's a very
specific question.
I'm not asking for any names.
Yes, we're going to theplayoffs.
Hey, yes, done.
I'm not asking for any names,but is there a moment where you
met someone, a player, a coach,a celebrity, whatever, and they
were the real deal?
(45:12):
And maybe people don't reallyknow them like that, but they
love the Lord, they they haveintegrity.
Has that happened?
Does it happen often?
What what's that like in inyour ministry at your level?
Desmond (45:24):
I'd say yeah, I mean, uh, and I'm pretty sure they
wouldn't even mind me.
You know, they they're notasking for it, but like I'm
thinking like the Jalen Ramseyof the world, you know,
unpolished.
But when I say his heart, hisdesire is just to serve God,
like he's real with that.
Uh uh Jonah John Lewis Smith,who we had last year, the tight
(45:47):
end.
Same thing.
And as far as the current listof guys, again, I'm telling you
right now, we have uh 28, 25 to28 guys showing up the to to
chapel service.
We have you know somewherebetween 16 and 20 guys showing
up to midweek study.
We got about 30, 35 to 40people showing up that prayer
circle before the game.
So yeah, we have a bunch of menthat recognize, man, I can't,
(46:09):
and I'm talking about bothplayers and coaches.
Yeah, um, you know, and butagain, they're in different
levels of their walk.
But as far as like the ones whoare like all in, yeah, but
that's kind of the beauty of whothey are.
They're all in isn't seekingglory in it.
Speaker 3 (46:24):
Right.
Joey (46:25):
Um that's why I didn't even, I'm not saying even with
the name, but but just you know,the reason I asked that is to
get people to think look, Ithink that many of us that watch
sports games or watch publicfigures, we're e we're quick to
judge, right?
Oh, they got this sound by orthey said this, or I didn't like
how they said this.
(46:45):
Dude, you don't know, buthere's someone that's that's
with many of these people on adaily basis, and he can tell
you, you know, some of thesepeople are the real deal.
So so just to hear that fromyou, you know, the listeners.
Desmond (46:58):
Look, I I I probably caution this, uh, on you know,
and I know it's just aeuphemism, you know, real deal,
whatever.
Um I all of it's still flawed.
Like, I don't know.
We we've been walking with theLord, some of us for 40, 50, 60
years, and I promise you, uh, ifyou take a magnifying lens to
to their lives, you'll findsomething you can be
disappointed about, right?
(47:19):
Uh you have you have alphapersonalities and a hyper
competitive atmosphere.
Every now and then they'regonna they're not gonna say
things the right way, but ifyou're asking about their heart,
I'm you know, look, if weexamine David's life, I'm pretty
sure that thing with him andBathsheba and Uriah, right?
But the Lord Himself declaredDavid a man after his own heart.
(47:42):
And so I think even flawedfolks can be ultrally passionate
about just serving God.
We just we're just flawedindividuals.
We don't get it right off.
Omar (47:53):
Desmond, um Tua right now is uh is a is a target.
Tua wears two crosses on hischeek.
Is that does that make him uh atarget also because of the idea
that he he is putting hisChristianity on his face on the
line?
Desmond (48:09):
I mean, I don't know about Target.
I mean, I I I I've known him tobe like of criticism well
because of the fact that Tuawears the crosses.
You know, uh maybe I don't I Idon't know, maybe I don't I
don't have the uh like thevictimization complex a lot of
us uh try uh often wear.
Like yeah, the world doesn'tlike what Christians um what we
(48:30):
believe in all the time, or youknow, but yeah, it kind of comes
out of territory.
Jesus told us it was gonna belike that.
Uh I think you know, if Tuagets criticism, it's not
necessarily for his faith, uh,because he's not Tim Tebeing uh
in that sense, but he is he isbold about his faith, right?
Like uh he professes his faith,but I think we we also live in
a day and age and in a seasonwhere a lot of athletes and
(48:55):
performers are boldly professingtheir faith.
Joey (48:57):
I think I'm seeing that more.
Desmond (48:59):
Yeah, I think where we can possibly get targeted, if we
want to call it that, is whenthere's uh it's there's
incongruence in what we espouseand then how we live.
Joey (49:12):
Right.
You know what I mean?
Yeah, that's where thecriticism will come heavy in
hypocrisy, right?
Is the word hypocrisy.
Desmond (49:17):
Well, so in one sense, hypocrisy, but other the other
sense I'd say is like if I quoteJesus without the heart of him,
yeah, right?
Yeah, the the non-believingworld, they'll receive that
differently.
Yeah, you know what I mean?
Like I can I can promise youthis, as much as I'm bragging
about like the amount ofbelievers that are in the
building, we got a whole bunchof folks that are not believers,
(49:38):
right?
That's why you're there.
I remember I try to givesomebody one of these coins,
they're like, nah, I'm good.
Like, you know, and and it'sfine.
I'll share a story offline oneday.
Um, but I'll say this.
So how we address and deal withthem though, yeah.
I think the approach has to bethis, and this is this is really
Jesus' point, uh, and theBeatitudes, right?
(50:00):
Uh, blessed are the poor inspirit.
Yeah, because when you're poorin spirit, what you recognize is
spiritually I am bankrupt.
Like uh when you can come tothat place in your spiritual
walk that on my own, yeah, Idon't have it, I'll never, I'll
never have it.
Um it changes how you look atpeople that aren't saved yet.
(50:22):
Because we can we can sometimeshave the sense where I've been
walking with the Lord now, andwe can get a little snooty with
non-believers.
I you know, I I constantly hearpeople talk about look at them,
look I'm like, yeah, but thatwas you once upon a time.
Like we we didn't come out ofthe womb out here worshiping
Jesus.
Joey (50:39):
And also that was me.
And if you're honest, thatstill can be me if you catch me
on a bad day.
And thirdly, if you look at theway the Bible describes an
unregenerated person, they'reblind, they're dead, they're
they don't know any better.
You know, I didn't know anybetter.
I didn't want to cause again.
(51:01):
This is now, you know, thinkingof the ages of people that are
listening and students, I didn'twant to cause ladies to suffer
and my decisions and how Itreated them and what I did, and
uh I didn't I didn't know whatI was doing, I didn't know the
ramifications of my actions, soon and so forth.
So so you know, and and even ifuh so you guys are getting it.
They're looking at me in thestudio, they're getting it.
(51:22):
So hopefully the Lord couldtranslate all that to those that
are listening.
Desmond, I wanted to make sure,man, if there's anything else
you wanted to cover, we got liketwo minutes before we we finish
our live program.
If there was anything else youwanted to share, just man, just
to to anyone listening, thebelievers, dolphins, f a FCA,
whatever.
(51:42):
Yeah, any final thought?
Desmond (51:44):
I I'd say just piggybacking off what we just
talked about, right?
Uh Ephesians 2, I think, is oneof the most phenomenal chapters
uh in all of the Bible.
It reminds us, even as savedfolks, who we once were, but
also kind of points to the issueof the world.
So uh, and it's a reminder ofwhy we need to do what God's
called us to.
He says, We were all once dead,walking in our sins and
(52:05):
trespasses.
Sin, I simply missed the mark,trespassed.
I was on the path and Ideliberately got off.
Don't really care how you gotthere, whether you accidentally
missed it or you purposely gotoff the path, because of that,
you are spiritually dead,separated from God.
But then you have that thatseminal moment, right?
Uh that verse four of Ephesianschapter two, but God been rich
and mercy with the great lovewith which he loved us, he
raised us up.
(52:25):
We were dead, dead things can'tmake decisions, dead things
can't choose to do anything,right?
But he raises us up so that wehave the ability now to choose
him back.
And so for those of us that aresaved, it's not by our works,
it's not because I'm holy, it'snot because one day I decided,
you know, this just isn't it.
No, what happened was when Iwas spiritually dead, God,
(52:47):
because he's rich in his ownmercy with the great level with
which he loves me, he raised meup.
But here's why he raised me up.
He says, You are hisworkmanship, another
translation, you are hismasterpiece.
That's poetry.
That's how he sees that's howhe sees you, created in Christ
Jesus, to do good works and towalk in them.
Our works don't save us, but hesaved us so that we may do the
(53:10):
good works.
Amen.
Omar (53:12):
You know, this is the appetizer.
I was gonna say we get CBMC,give us the info.
This is the appetizer that uhfor for for the listeners,
because if you really want tosee, want to be part of the full
course, a week from tomorrow,on October the 28th at 1230, uh
Desmond is going to be joiningus at the monthly CBMC lunch,
(53:33):
which is held at the 94th AirSquadron restaurant, which is
located right on 836 and 57Northwest 57th Avenue, right
next to the airport, east of836.
And he will be there from 1230to 1, at which time we're going
to be interviewing him andgetting even more information or
more tidbits of wonderfulinformation from Desmond.
(53:54):
Social Security numbers.
So 94th Aero Squadron, date andtime again?
October the 28th.
Tuesday, October the 28th,eight days from today.
Joey (54:04):
Got it.
So not tomorrow.
Omar (54:05):
Not tomorrow, but the following Tuesday at the 94th
Air Squadron restaurant, whichis located on 836 and Northwest
57th Avenue, 1230.
Be there so you can not onlyhear Desmond, but you can see
why we were bigger than life.
Joey (54:21):
You can see why we were laughing about this early life.
Yeah.
Desmond, I can't thank youenough.
Omar, thank you again.
Thank you to CBMC for bringingsuch wonderful guests and
friends to us.
And Desmond, again, thank youfor sharing and thank you for
what you did for your chair.
Intro (54:37):
We hope you enjoyed Friends and Family, unique
conversations recorded andproduced in our studios where
you get a chance to hear whatGod is doing in people's lives.
Jesus tells us in John 15,verse 15, I have called you
friends for all things that Iheard from my father, I have
made known to you.
So that's why we love to sharethese exclusive interviews with
you.
(54:57):
Our hope is that through theirstories, God will be made known
to you.
You can only find them here onGodsway Radio.
Just check godswayradio.com forour full program together.
You're tuned in to Friends and Family, a God's way
radio exclusive where weintroduce you to some amazing
people.
In John chapter 15, verse 15,Jesus says, I have called you
friends for all things that Iheard from my father, I have
made known to you.
That's our aim, that God wouldbe made known to you.
Stay with us until the end ofour conversation for more
(00:22):
information on this program andother unique offerings from
God's Way Radio.
Desmond (00:27):
I'm Desmond Cook.
I am the uh director ofFellowship with Christian
Athletes down here in SouthFlorida.
It's a sport ministry that aimsto see the world transformed by
Jesus through the influence ofstudent athletes and coaches.
I'm also the chaplain for theMiami Dolphins.
And uh, but you know, probablymore important than all those
things, uh, just a son of God uhand a husband to the most
(00:49):
amazing wife in the history ofthe world, Sarah Cook.
Awesome, awesome.
Joey (00:53):
And Desmond, you know, I would love to hear a little bit
about just your background, yourupbringing, where where'd you
grow up, uh, what was familylike growing up?
Did you always grow up uhknowing church?
Tell us a little bit about theearly years.
Desmond (01:06):
Yeah, no, I love it.
Uh so uh originally fromNashville, Tennessee, uh, but
raised down here in SouthFlorida majority of my life.
My parents are both nativeFloridians from Dade County,
one's from uh Daniel Beach.
And uh they brought my brotherand I up in the ways of the
Lord.
So we grew up going to churchand uh knowing right from wrong
and things of that nature.
(01:26):
And uh uh by the grace of God,uh just you know, coming out of
uh South Florida, the Lordallowed me to excel at a lot of
different things, bothacademically and athletically.
So I was a nerd from well, Iguess I shouldn't say was, I'm
still a nerd, but uh so I'm anerd, but also I was a nerd that
eventually grew into uh hisbody.
And so um wound up, you know,turning on a number of
(01:49):
scholarships and then going outto Stanford University, uh,
played ball out there, uh, youknow, majored in math,
organizational studies, um,chased the NFL dream for a few
years, and uh, you know, whenthat didn't work out, uh came
back, um, coached for a numberof years, um, you know, did the
arena thing, um, then eventuallystarted up a tech company,
(02:13):
built that up for a number ofyears, and uh then uh when the
Lord called my brother home, uh,who played 11 years in the NFL,
I'm the midget in the family.
Uh that that's sayingsomething.
I'm about to say if you're inthe studio, you you'd understand
why they laughed.
Omar (02:27):
I gotta interrupt because this is very and you can't see
it.
He doesn't have the body of anerd.
Yeah, he has the body of astud.
Trust me when I tell you this.
Go ahead.
Desmond (02:37):
Say that one more time for my wife.
Um but when the when the Lordcalled my brother home, what I
realized is my the Lord wasusing my brother, and I know I'm
probably going way ahead andyou have to reel me back in.
Joey (02:48):
Yeah, yeah, but I I'm liking where it's going.
Desmond (02:50):
But the but the Lord was using my brother the entire
time, unbeknownst to me, uh, tokind of serve as an anchor point
for me.
Like uh so when the NFL thingdidn't work out for me the way I
had envisioned it, according tothe 12-year plan that I
submitted to God, uh, you know,I it became like this one
compromise after the other on mypart where I was a bit jaded.
You know, I thought God hadreneged on this deal that we
(03:12):
had, not realizing no, that wasyour deal, not his.
Um, and so so when I was slowlybut surely immersing myself
back in the world, even though Iknew better, it was constantly
my baby brother, uh, all sixfoot eight, 340 pounds of him,
that would remind me, hey man,that's not what the Lord's
called you to do.
And I was swatted off like alike a gnat, like a mosquito,
(03:33):
like yeah, yeah, whatever.
Yeah.
Um, but it turns out he he wasliving his life to be more than
just an impact of my ownpersonal life.
Uh my brother played um youknow five years with uh Ray
Lewis and those guys inBaltimore uh with the Ravens and
uh played in a bunch of othersquads.
And at the memorial service, uhI began to hear from all these
(03:56):
people from around the country,former teammates, random folks I
didn't know.
And person after person wastalking about the fact that they
probably would not be walkingwith the Lord now if not for his
influence.
There's a couple on the vergeof divorce 10 years earlier that
said, Look, he said, Don't doanything till I get down there
during my bye week.
And if you know anything aboutNFL, you get that one bye week.
It's the one chance you get tofinally just relax a little bit
(04:18):
with your family, stay off yourfeet.
And instead of doing that, withyou know, when he had his own
wife and kids, he said, I'mgonna fly down there, we're
gonna pray this thing out.
And here they were 10 yearslater, saying, We're we're
together stronger than we'veever been, in part because he
came and he prayed with us andwe were ready to just hang it
up.
And so uh he it turns out hewas using his entire life, not
(04:39):
just his football platform andan influence, but all of his all
of his adult life to reallyimpact the kingdom, and uh that
that that weighed heavily,heavily on me, yeah uh made me
become even more introspective.
Like, hey, am I really doingwhat the Lord has called me to
do?
And uh, you know, we'll we'llcircle back on that and I'll get
(04:59):
into more detail.
Joey (05:00):
Yeah, I mean, just to to hone in on what we just heard,
he was uh he was a player, heyeah, he wasn't a chaplain, he
wasn't a coach, he didn't have aposition, he was doing his job,
he was living the dream in asense of a lot of athletes.
Yeah, but on top of that, orunder that, or around that, was
a son of God, a a Christiantrying to see God change other
(05:22):
people's lives around him.
Desmond (05:24):
Yeah, son of God and an ambassador for the kingdom,
right?
Like he was on mission each dayof his life when he was calling
folks at 5 30 in the morning.
I thought it was just me.
It turns out it was a wholebunch of people asking him, Hey,
have you prayed yet?
You know, like type of thing.
And um so the impact he had uhnot just again, not just on my
(05:44):
life, and not just on some ofthe individuals I mentioned,
I'll I'll never forget about uhfive years ago.
Um you know, back when I wasserving as chaplain for the FAU,
uh Ray Lewis on the sideline,his son was uh at the time was
playing for FAU.
And at that point, those twohadn't played together probably
in over ten years.
It had been five years at thatpoint since my brother had
passed away.
(06:05):
And still, unprompted,unsolicited, in the middle of a
game, he walks over to me, youknow, he looks, you know, he
knows he knows, you know, thatwe're related, right?
My last name's Cook.
My brother and I are verysimilar features-wise, and he
just comes up to me, he's like,he's like, Cook.
And I just want you want you toknow, man, your brother, it
(06:25):
still hurts my heart.
You know, and he was just goingon about the impact and
influence my brother.
My brother wasn't a draft pick,right?
He wasn't a perennial starter,pro bowler, anything.
My brother battled every yearjust to make a roster.
And it did not stop him fromusing his life, even within that
locker room setting, toinfluence those around him.
Omar (06:47):
That's what let me ask you a question because I I dealt in
grief share uh at CalvaryChapel for many years.
But the loss of your brother atthat an early age, how did that
impact you and your walk withChrist?
Because that was a very, veryshocking thing for a young man
like him.
And you lost more than just abrother.
I mean, you l you you lost abrother in Christ and a family
(07:10):
member.
How did you handle that?
Desmond (07:12):
Yeah, it was crazy.
I mean, uh to your point, notonly was he my blood brother,
not only was my brother inChrist, he was my best friend.
Like he, you know, he was thebest man at my wedding six
months prior to his passing.
And um we we just spoke on thephone two hours earlier when I
get the when I get the call.
Uh, we worked out two daysprior to we worked out together
(07:33):
two days prior to his passing.
Um and the lot one of the lastthings I say to him, it was the
morning of his 10-yearanniversary, the first day in a
brand new house he had just uhbought for his family.
He had dropped the kids offwith me during for the summer,
like he normally would do.
And and so we kind of joked.
I was like, look, well, it'syou know, I said it sounds like
your breath stinks, so go backto sleep.
(07:54):
Uh wish your wife a happyanniversary.
I'll talk to you later.
Um, and so the impact it had onme and finding that out, um,
the initial impact was justdisbelief.
Like, what are you talkingabout?
Like, I just spoke to him acouple hours ago.
Nothing was wrong.
Uh, but then like after thatinitial initial shock uh hit me,
(08:15):
I just began to think about,and I know it sounds crazy, but
I was like, man, I don't know ifI'd be doing what I was doing
now.
I was at that point in my life,I'm walking with the Lord, you
know, I'm I'm serving the Lordand things of that nature.
But I was like, I don't know ifI'd be where I'm at right now
with the Lord, if not for mybaby brother being so persistent
and almost annoying at times.
(08:37):
Uh and I began to think aboutlike, yeah, I missed my brother
already, but I would not want tohave him come back, right?
I knew where he was.
Like, why would I wish that onanybody?
Joey (08:47):
Let me ask you this, and and it's you know, a bit
personal, but how how did hepass or what happened if you're
able to still don't even knowfor sure.
Desmond (08:55):
I don't know for sure.
His his his his wife wouldknow, but you know, it was
either a heart attack orpulmonary emulism.
I've heard like one of I'veheard both of those.
How old?
Joey (09:03):
36 years old.
Oh my goodness.
36 years old.
And how were you at how oldwere you at the time?
Desmond (09:07):
Uh 38.
Joey (09:08):
We're two years apart.
Desmond (09:09):
Man.
Joey (09:09):
Yeah.
And how long ago was it?
10 years.
I just tricked you into sayingyour age.
Oh, you didn't have to trickme.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
You didn't have to trick me,trust me.
I'm a told.
No, no, no.
Live radio.
Sometimes you go you go for ajoke and it doesn't land.
Um uh I'm sorry, I just lightin the mood there.
Uh the uh me trying.
Uh Desmond, uh man, 36 and 38.
(09:32):
Um, he passes away so uhsurprisingly.
Um this is during his NFLcareer.
Desmond (09:39):
He's no, he he probably just retired, maybe a few years
earlier.
Uh he he concluded his play upin Detroit.
Um, and then I think maybe aseason or two go by, you know,
he finally kind of officiallyretires, started teaching up
there in Baltimore, uh teachingand coaching.
And um, yeah.
Yeah.
Joey (10:00):
So rewinding a bit, like you you mentioned that we would,
but also re greeting again uhanyone that's just tuned in,
you're listening to Godswayradio.
We actually have a specialguest in the studio, uh, via or
thanks to our friends at CBMC.
Uh, we have uh Miami Dolphinchaplain Desmond Cook and like
he said, more importantly, uh ason of God and and a husband.
(10:24):
Uh, but we're grateful to havehim here just to share his
story.
Uh, you know, Desmond, the hopeis that we could talk about,
man, just your testimony withthe Lord, but also some of the
cool things that that you get todo and and where the Lord has
you and where the Lord has hadyou.
So we'll see what we can coveruh today.
Desmond, you mentioned that youplayed uh sports at a
(10:45):
collegiate level.
Uh let's go back to to um uhPop Warner or high school or you
know, how was sports when youwere a kid?
I mean, I I feel like sportsare so much different now.
Give us a little uh insight.
Was it just a given?
Man, you boys, you're gonnaplay, you know, you're built to
play.
How was that?
Desmond (11:01):
So you'll never know now by looking at me.
My my first sports uh weresoccer, gymnastics, and platform
diving.
Okay.
Sounds amazing.
Omar (11:11):
We're not diving today, then.
Desmond (11:13):
No, sir.
You're not diving today.
I jump in, the water's jumpingout now.
But those, you know, but my myfather, uh my parents exposed my
brother and I to, they wantedto expose us just to a multitude
of things and experiences, andthen we can kind of make our own
decision as to what we wantedto do.
So I pretty much played everysport, enjoy them all.
Um, as I grew up and uh uh gotto high school, I remember
(11:36):
coming to high school at 135pounds.
I'm clearly not thinking, yeah,I'm gonna play big time college
ball, let alone anything beyondthat.
So my only goal when I when Igot to high school was like I
wanted to go to Harvard on theacademic scholarship.
That was the plan.
Uh, and so I'm working theplan.
I'm in math club, chess club,band chorus, academic games.
Um, you know, I'm still playingball, but you know, I'm I'm I'm
(11:58):
I'm a realist, I'm apragmatist, 135 pounds.
I'm not going anywhere.
Sophomore year get up to 165,junior year, uh I eventually get
up to 225, and and then and atthat point, I've already I've
I've placed sixth in the statein discus, my sophomore year,
first time ever picking up adisc.
My junior year, I won the statechampionship.
(12:19):
Uh, and then so now I'm gettingrecruited by everybody for both
football and track.
And then by my senior year, uhboth basically all American,
both in football and track, Iwas number two in the country in
the discus.
And uh so I pretty much andthen of course academically I'm
where I want to be.
So turned down Harvard.
Uh thought I was gonna go toFlorida State because that was
(12:39):
my dream school coming up.
Okay, took my trips to FloridaState, No to Shame, Michigan
State.
Um, and then of course I get aphone call from Bill Walsh, who
was at Stanford at the time.
And at that point, I was like,done, I know where I'm going
right now.
Joey (12:51):
So that's kind of me coming up, yeah.
Yeah.
Uh what's the Bill WalshStanford connection?
Was it a big name at that time?
Desmond (12:58):
Or was it just I forgot you're younger.
You don't know anything aboutthese things.
Anybody over the age ofprobably like 40, you know, like
if the the name Bill Walsh issynonymous with genius when it
comes to football.
Like he won multiple SuperBowls with the 49ers.
He was kind of the originatorof the West Coast offense uh in
(13:19):
the NFL.
Um, and so for for me to get acall from him uh at that time, I
again, and then of course, heputs a track coach on, which
tells me that they're gonnaallow me to do both at the
premier academic institution inthe country.
Uh Harvard's like the Stanfordof the of the east.
And uh so uh so just theopportunity to have the best of
(13:42):
both worlds academicathletically made perfect sense.
And I wouldn't have to dealwith the snow up in
Massachusetts.
I'd get to deal with the palmtrees coming down Palm Ave down
in the Bay Area.
Joey (13:52):
So that's what it was.
Nice, nice.
Uh looking again at your schoolyears, man.
Um you know, there's so manydifferent people that could be
listening.
There's parents listening,there's students listening.
You know, we actually have apopulation here of students and
families that listen to thestation, that listen live to
refresh.
You're listening live.
Uh, you know, I encourage you,I haven't given out the phone
(14:13):
number yet.
If you want to call or text, wewe love to get your text
messages, your phone calls hereat the studio.
And I always have people say,Oh, but it was an interview, I
didn't want to interrupt.
First of all, it's notinterruption.
We love hearing the phonecalls, but you can text if if
you feel that it's better totext, text or call us right now
while we're live in the studio,October the 20th, with Desmond
Cook, a guest that CBMC hasbrought with them today.
(14:37):
786-313-3115.
786-313-3115.
What could you tell us aboutbalancing the studies and the
athletics about maybe thingsthat your parents instilled in
you or things that you learnedthrough the years uh to really
(14:57):
navigate and succeed in thosehigh school years?
Desmond (15:01):
Yeah, I think one of the first things is realizing
there are 168 hours in a week,and uh, and and this comes from
a conversation I had with TyronWillingham.
He he took over at Stanfordafter Bill Walsh resigned.
And so by the time I get outthere, he's my coach.
And I remember I had this oneparticular semester.
Um, I think I wound up gettinglike two C's, you know, and it
was uncharacteristic, but youknow, in my mind, I'm like, you
(15:24):
know, like I'm I'm doingfootball, track, I'm doing
community service, and I'mtaking some of the hardest
classes you'll ever take in theworld.
Like, it's okay.
And he was like, No, I didn'tbring you out here for that.
He's like, What's your what'syour your priorities look like?
And of course, I'm trying tosay the right thing.
And I was like, Oh, you know,academics first, athletics
second.
And he's like, Well, there are168 hours in a week, right?
(15:45):
I was like, Yes, sir.
So isn't there enough time tobe excellent in both?
And I was like, uh, and youknow, and I didn't realize it be
until that conversation, butthat's that's the number and one
thing I tell all of ourathletes, uh student athletes
that I that I speak with inminister to now.
There's enough time if wechoose to, and I understand
this, we all have choices,right?
(16:06):
Uh, if we choose to lean intouh the call that the Lord has
called us to, there's enoughtime to be excellent in both of
those things.
Um, you know, but you do, butyou have to make decisions.
You have to be willing whenyour friends are going to
parties or going to the mall ormovies or whatever kids do
nowadays to say, like, hey, Istill have homework because the
life of a student athlete isdifferent from regular students.
(16:28):
Students get out of school atthe at the high school level
245.
If you're on a college campus,you know, you have your classes,
you're done by noon orwhatever, and then you do
whatever you feel like.
If you play sport at the highschool level, you get out of
school like everybody else, butthen you have practice somewhere
between 3 and 6 p.m.
You're not getting home until7, 7:30 p.m.
(16:49):
And when everybody else hasbeen done with homework for four
hours, you're just gettingstarted at the collegiate level.
Pretty similar, right?
You know, uh, so it's just amatter of what you prioritize.
And if my goal, if my aim is,hey, I want to live my best life
right now, cool.
Go ahead and do that.
But do recognize that meanssomething else will have to be
sacrificed.
Interesting.
Joey (17:09):
So man, that's it right there.
Thank you for getting no.
I mean, that's so that's somuch wisdom there, especially
that how you wrapped it up thereat the end.
You can live your best lifenow, quote unquote, but you
sacrifice the future, or you caninvest now in your future,
right?
Is that is that kind of whatyou were getting at?
Desmond (17:27):
Look, I I'll I'm I'm gonna use a biblical uh uh uh
analogy.
Numbers chapter 13, right?
For those who if you haven'tread it, read it when we get
off.
Uh God says, Hey, look, puttogether some men, go spy out
the land that I'm going to giveto you.
God is basically saying, Hey, Ihave a promise for you.
I just simply want you to gotake a look at it.
They go in there 40 days,they're in the land, they see
it's all that they had heard anddreamt about, but they also
(17:50):
recognize, man, there's gonna besome challenges if we go ahead
and take this land, right?
They got these giants there,they got these well-fortified
walls.
And so instead of leaning onGod's promises, they began to
focus more on the problems.
And I'd say for those who arestruggling now, oftentimes
because we only focus on theproblems, not the promise.
And here's the thing uh, partof the reason why they focus on
the problems, because I think alot of them, like a lot of us,
(18:13):
we want God to show up and dowhat only he can do.
We want him to show up andjust, you know, snap a finger
and make it happen, but we don'twant the strain that he expects
us to endure to embrace inorder to get there.
And so they they recognize it'sgonna be tough to take this
land, much like some of ourkids.
Hey, in order for me to getthat scholarship, in order for
(18:33):
me to to whatever that thing is,it's gonna require real strain.
It's not a one-hitter quitter.
I can't show up one day andeverything's gonna happen at the
snap of a finger.
I have to be willing to endurethe strain of studying, the
strain of missing the party, thestrain of the extra practices
or whatever it may be.
Speaker 7 (18:51):
Yeah, amen.
Omar (18:52):
Yeah, Desmond, when you finish a Stanford or when you're
in your senior year, you youhave like a plan with God to
play in the pros or somethingsimilar to that.
Talk talk a little bit aboutyour transition from Stanford to
the pros, because you weresuccessful from high school to
college.
You had all kinds of choices,right?
Desmond (19:11):
Correct.
Omar (19:11):
But when it when you finished college, your choices
were not as varied.
Let's talk a little bit aboutthe difference.
Desmond (19:18):
Yeah, I mean, yeah, the plan I submitted guy was uh uh
during my sophomore year.
I had the full 12-year planlaid out from like, look, in two
years or 12 years.
Oh, brother, yeah, I know.
Brother was ambitious.
I'm sure the guy looked at theplan and started laughing.
Jesus, look at this fool righthere.
Um, so so ball is done.
Um, you know, I had my plans.
Uh I chased it as far as Icould possibly chase it, but
(19:41):
eventually phone calls stoppedcoming in, and now I have to be
both ready and willing to pivot.
Um, that's another life lesson.
Like, it don't all like I'dlove to sell you that dream that
if you just give your life tothe Lord, anything you ask,
He'll give to you.
Like, they don't it don'treally work like that.
Um, you know, ask Joseph howthat whole thing went.
(20:03):
God gave him a vision that hewould hold a position of
prominence, and the next thinghe knows, he's thrown in the
pit, sold into slavery, throw alied on, thrown in the prison.
Like that's kind of how lifeoperates.
But here's what I've alsolearned uh the bad things that
occur in my life, it ain'talways really just about me.
And the good things that happenin my life really just aren't
about me either.
(20:23):
In totality, God has his planthat is working through both the
ups and our downs.
Joey (20:28):
Yeah, we we always look at ourselves as the main character
of the story, you know, andwe're not, right?
If you really look at it, Jesusis the main character all day.
We're a part of his story, youknow.
Uh, there's a there's an olddead guy uh that said, I don't
know, I don't remember.
I just I saw this quote and itwas like, oh my god.
I saw the quote, I saw well, Isee the quote and it says, Oh,
(20:49):
seven died 1790, whatever.
A Christian back in the day.
More dead than old, I guess.
So anyway, so he said, youknow, he said, preach the
gospel, be forgotten.
And it's just like, all right,you know, God, I don't need I
don't need my name remembered,right?
So man, just just hearing, I'vebeen thinking about that
lately, hearing it confirmed.
It's like, hey, you're not themain character, you know.
(21:11):
Um, but but but great question,Omar, and and uh if you don't
mind, again, this is some of thekind of like the cool insights,
right?
That maybe people don't hearabout or know.
Can you even dig into thatdeeper?
How is it that you were sosuccessful in high school,
leading into an amazing collegeopportunity, so successful in
(21:32):
college, but what do you meanthat it didn't take off in the
pros, or it didn't, what werethe hindrances, or do you not
know it just didn't click?
Desmond (21:39):
Or yeah, I think I I think in part, you know, if if I
could be a have have an honestassessment of myself, I know
pride kicks in from time totime, but it's tough to play in
the NFL.
Like them dudes are reallytalented and as good as I
thought I was, and I yeah, I canblame the injuries, two
fractured ankles, a shouldersuplexation, fractured capsule,
torn cuff, all within 18 months.
Those certainly played a role,but like there's still a
(22:01):
likelihood, even with none ofthose things happening, I may
not have made it.
Joey (22:06):
Gotcha.
Desmond (22:06):
I can't tell you how many guys come through.
Uh I see every year duringtraining camp.
We you know, start off with 90guys, dudes who were like all
conference, you know, variouslevels of all American coming
out of college.
This is the creme de la creme.
And then when the train whenthis when the training camp is
over, when it's the regular whenthose final cuts are made,
there's still gonna be 30 plusguys that may never play
(22:31):
football again.
That's the nature of thisbusiness.
Omar (22:33):
It's an interesting thing because now your primary dream
is gone.
And one of the most w wonderfulthings in this country is that
most of us share uh uh go afterthe primary dreams, but we end
up with secondary and tertiarydreams.
Joey (22:47):
Yeah.
Omar (22:47):
So now what was your secondary dream?
Once the dream of playing theNFL is is gone, where does
Desmond go?
Desmond (22:55):
Yeah.
So that was the thing.
Um, it was crazy.
As much of a nerd as I was myentire life, somehow or another,
I morphed, I became a jock,right?
Like where I put all I put Iput a ton of eggs into that one
basket and I refused, like wheneven when I wasn't getting calls
anymore, even when my agentwasn't calling back anymore,
(23:17):
like I was like, no, like thisis still this is still the plan.
Uh so for me, I I I didn't Idid not prepare myself uh
initially for what was next.
Now, unfortunately, the workthat had been done up to then it
the Lord allows that to stillgive me a leg up and an
opportunity when I when I wasfinally serious about moving on
(23:38):
to the next phase.
But I also say this um as muchas it's it's important to to
have a plan uh and all thosethings, uh more important than
all of those things, I think, isto have a legitimate and
earnest, a real relationshipwith the Lord.
I told you I'll I grew up inchurch.
I knew right from wrong, right?
I I could check off all theboxes, um but in hindsight, I
(24:03):
looked back and I realized whatI really had was more of a
transactional relationship,right?
I would do the right thingsbecause I was getting the
results I was looking for.
And so in my mind, I was like,well, I don't want to ruin a
good thing.
I mean, I definitely don't wantto go to hell.
I mean, I I grew up in SouthFlorida, man, it's already hot.
So like I didn't want that.
So I'm like, yeah, if you askme point blank, do you you know,
do you accept Jesus?
(24:23):
Yeah, of course.
Because I knew the alternate,the alternative was you going to
hell.
So I would say the rightthings, I would do the right
things, but you know what?
I lacked the right heart.
I didn't have the relationship.
So here's here's a consequenceof that.
When stuff happens, when lifepunches you in the mouth, and it
will for everybody as long asyou keep living, it's going to
happen at some point.
I talked about the fact that Imade all these compromises all
(24:46):
of a sudden, and in part it'sbecause I didn't have solid
foundation.
The promise that I thought youknow I was in agreement with the
Lord on didn't come tofruition.
And so I began to look around,I look at the landscape, and I'm
like, like cats that I used tobeat that are still playing in
the league, uh, people that Iwould hang out with down in
South Florida who didn't lovethe Lord, wanted nothing to do
(25:06):
with them at all, but their lifeseemed to be great.
Well, I was like, well, look,well, God's not like us, He
won't renege.
So, you know, like heaven ismine, but I can begin to kind of
live like the rest of theworld.
And it was only because Ididn't have a real relationship
with them.
Uh, but I do thank God againfor my baby brother and people
like my brother who the Lord putinto my and my life and
constantly were reminding me,hey man, that's not it.
(25:29):
Yeah, that's not the standard.
God has a different plan foryou.
Joey (25:32):
So when did you make the turnaround and it stopped being
transactional and it startedbeing real?
Desmond (25:39):
Yeah, I I still remember um Easter service uh at
Lockhart Stadium of CalvaryChapel, and um, you know, I
again still checking boxes, youknow.
I was like, I'm gonna go toEaster sunrise service, but I
literally just came straightfrom the club, probably smelled
like I don't know how manydifferent drinks I had that
particular night.
Somehow another got glitter onme and came, you know, you know,
(26:01):
all right, but scratch that.
Some of someone's got toexplain that to their kids.
So but so here I was, I'm inthe car, I'm in the parking lot
early because I didn't go home.
I knew if I went home, I wouldnever make it.
So I came straight to thestadium.
I'm in the parking lot, youknow, 5:30 in the morning.
And when I see other cars pullin and people start to walk into
the stadium, I'm like, let meget ready to get out of here,
(26:22):
uh, go into the stadium.
But when I try to get out ofthe car, I'm like, ooh, no, let
me sit back down.
Because, you know, again, thenight was a little rough.
By the time I woke up, thesecond service was already done.
I'm in the parking lotpractically by myself, with the
exception of a few people thatwere still picking up stuff in
the parking lot.
And like in that moment, inthat car, sweating profusely,
(26:45):
but utterly broken, I began tothink about like all the
different things, those burningbush moments uh the Lord had had
blessed me with.
I I began to hear my brotherreminding me, or Pastor Bob, or
something that he would havepreached back in the time, or or
some random person that bumpedinto me instead, you know, while
I got two drinks in my hand,yeah, yeah, I sense the blood of
(27:06):
Jesus on you.
And I'm like, I hear all thesethings, and I'm like, man, God's
been trying to communicate withme for a long time.
And I was just broken.
And I think for the first timein my life, I was truly
surrendered in that particularmoment.
Do you remember what year thatwas?
I would have been 30.
I don't even know, I don't evenknow how old I am right now.
(27:28):
Uh I was probably about it wasprobably 31 years old at the
time.
Yeah.
Joey (27:32):
So about 10 years ago plus.
Desmond (27:35):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Five years ago, you know, three years ago.
Desmond (27:37):
Uh but no, but uh 17 years ago now.
17.
Joey (27:41):
Wow, man.
Omar (27:42):
What a so you were still partying at 31.
Desmond (27:45):
Oh my goodness.
Well, I was a late boomer.
I didn't I never partied untilfootball ended.
Omar (27:49):
Yeah, because the athletics, the demands, you
know, but the question here isafter football, how did you make
a living?
Now you're 31 years old.
What was you didn't playfootball?
How were you?
Desmond (28:00):
Well, I mean, yeah, I mean, the beauty is, I mean, I
still had a standard degree, soit was like, you know, I can get
a job anywhere.
Uh initially, I just I startedteaching.
Uh, but eventually, uh, youknow, I got as much as I love
working with young people, andit just ain't pay anything.
So I went to the privatesector, uh, initially with
Relief Group International, uh,reorganized uh the
infrastructure there.
And then eventually uh with mypartners, we started up a tech
(28:23):
company, uh Multiply Inc., whichhad a couple different
verticals, rapid response, MC3,healthcare technologies.
Um, and so we're just you know,we're building apps and other
uh tech you know technologyplatforms.
Brower County named the dayafter our company back in 2014.
Um uh uh October 14th, 2014, uhback at that time.
(28:44):
And um, so that's how you knowwe pay the bills.
Joey (28:48):
Yeah, yeah.
So you you get right with theLord.
Was there anything that God didright away?
Like, you know, some peoplethey get saved and they they
call someone, you know, I gottaapologize or I gotta go fix
this, or what what happenednext?
Desmond (29:02):
Um so no.
Um the next I probably stillwent hung out with some friends,
but I'll say this appetitesbegan to change.
Like amen.
Um, and so and and so I I saythat because I think there are
some folks when they do come toChrist, and the hope is that all
the temptations, all the likethat we we pray that those
(29:26):
things uh flee from us uh themoment we accept Christ and
things of that issue.
But the reality is there's thisother process.
Paul would say, Man, look, yourflesh and and your spirit are
at war with one another.
And oftentimes for those of uswho come to Christ, especially
we do so late in life, guesswhat, buddy?
You've been living in yourflesh for 30 years, and now
you've been living you knowfilled with the spirit for about
(29:47):
one month.
You know, it's gonna take sometime uh for you to to to to to
to hear his voice more clearlyand things of that nature.
Joey (29:55):
Yeah, that's an encouragement, you know.
For anyone listening, again, uhfor anyone that just tuned in.
In.
We're kind of just past ourhalfway mark.
We're live here in the studioweekdays from 3 30 to 4 30.
We have a guest with us,Desmond Cook, brought to you by
CBMC, uh Christian BusinessMen's Connection.
Omar's here with us.
And our phone lines are open asthey are whenever we're live in
(30:17):
the studio.
The phone number to call ortext if you have a question for
Desmond, a word ofencouragement.
The phone number is786-313-3115.
Again, the phone number to callor text right now before we
finish our live uh program at430 is 786-313-3115.
(30:37):
And Desmond, that's such anencouragement for anyone
listening that maybe they are anew believer or maybe they are
wrestling with a certain sin andare thinking, God, why haven't
you taken this away?
God, why isn't this gone?
And it's that that Christianlife.
It's that Christian walk.
Very similar to uh the theBible uh chapter that you
referenced earlier.
You know, you're you're in thepl promised land, but you still
(30:59):
have those battles.
Desmond (31:01):
In the already, but not quite yet.
Joey (31:03):
Already, but not quite yet.
Yes, sir.
Uh so Desmond, let's fastforward a bit.
How did you get involved withstudent athlete ministry, right?
I'm guessing that's one of thenext chapters of your life.
Absolutely.
Desmond (31:16):
Yeah, min I'd say ministry in general.
Okay.
Um, so I'm walking with theLord.
Uh I I began um preaching, or Iinitially started just leading
Bible studies at the church.
Um, then uh began, you know,preaching here and there, but
like I still wasn't pursuingthat.
(31:36):
It was just something that, youknow, as I studied more and
whatever.
But when my brother passed,that was kind of that seminal
moment, right?
Uh, because again, listening toall the people that were
impacted by him, not just me.
And now we're walking with theLord uh in part because for how
he allowed the Lord just to workthrough him.
I remember I'm back in myoffice that following Tuesday
(31:58):
morning, and I'm like, Lord, ifI'm not where I'm supposed to
be, uh let me know.
And yeah, it sounds great.
Uh, but when but when the Lordwas like, yeah, it's time to
move on, I was like, hold on,slow down, God.
You know, because you know,when I started this company, I
had plans.
I was trying to be like BlackZuckerberg around this thing.
Uh so you know, but so twoweeks later though, I prayed
(32:20):
again.
Um, and I think this time I wasactually ready for whatever the
answer is going to be.
And when the Lord was like,it's time to move on, yeah.
Uh, he didn't tell me what wasnext.
Um, I ultimately sell theshares of my company uh back to
my partners, and and then I gota phone call out of the blue
from some guy I never metbefore.
Uh, most of y'all probably knowhim down in South Florida, Mike
(32:41):
Blanc.
He was the uh FCA director atthe time, uh, eventually uh
became the chaplain for theUniversity of Miami for a bunch
of years.
He's now the chaplain forUniversity of Auburn and our EVP
of Pro and Elite Sport for FCA.
I get a phone call from him.
Don't even know why I answeredthe phone because I didn't
recognize the number, but as youknow, Lord and his providence.
Mike invites me to a golffundraiser for FCA, tells me
(33:02):
about the ministry, and for thefirst time, I really began to
see how I can serve in atangible way.
That's how I got involved withFCA and the rest is history.
That's it.
Omar (33:11):
Let me ask you a question because we haven't gotten there
yet.
Desmond (33:14):
Yeah.
Omar (33:14):
Where's your wife?
Right now?
No, where's your wife?
In other words, we talked aboutfootball.
When does she go to the book?
We talked about the board, andI think that's wonderful.
Yeah.
But we gotta get the missus inhere.
Oh no, she's listening.
You better make sure you bringher in.
Oh, you already know.
Desmond (33:30):
Uh look, I I couldn't do what I do if not for my wife.
Because my hours are crazy.
I don't I don't know many womenuh that would be as
comfortable, content, andsupportive of a husband that's
just gone a lot.
Yeah.
And in the spaces where I'moften at, because I'm a surround
about athletes, oftentimesbeing around athletes means
(33:51):
you're also surrounded by someother folks, right?
And uh, but my wife, you know,she loves the Lord, she loves
me, she trusts me, and it's allgood.
And look, when I came to her,remember, we're we're newlyweds
at the time when I'm gettingready to sell my company.
Uh we're newlyweds.
Six months after we gotmarried.
My best man, the first personshe met from my family, has
passed away.
(34:12):
And then only a few monthslater, I'm talking about, yeah,
babe.
So I know uh you know, sinceyou've known me, I've I've had
this tech company, but the Lordis calling me somewhere else.
I don't know who would havestayed.
Uh, but her response shockedme.
Uh, shouldn't have, but youknow, she was like, well, all
right, well, look, if this iswhat the Lord is telling you,
(34:32):
then then yeah, I'm not gonnastop you.
Joey (34:35):
Amen.
Desmond (34:36):
She did have one caveat though.
So look, but if the Lord shouldhappen to call us to like uh to
Iowa or something like that,let's make sure we go to them
together.
And so that was good, good.
Joey (34:46):
We we actually have a call that came in.
Let's take this call.
Good afternoon.
Where are you calling us from?
Speaker 6 (34:51):
Good afternoon.
I don't want to take up toomuch time because this is so
cool to have a dolphin chapmanon the phone, but um, my
youngest, she like pretends towatch football with my husband.
We all pretend to watchfootball with him, and um he's
always, you know, she's alwaysasking about players and this
and that.
I only know like the famouswords here and there, and um,
(35:13):
you know, it's always a lessoninto how to live your life
because for what is it to givethe world and lose your soul?
And I think that you'restanding in the gap of that, and
it's so powerful, and you havesuch an influence into God's
word there, and um, you know, myhusband's always telling them,
you know, yeah, he plays well,but well, you know, you gotta
(35:34):
pray for him because there's aman who'll tell him a little bit
of a story, and I'm like, Whycan't you say um he's like
whatever.
So he's uh he's always liketrying to tell them about yeah,
they're fat, yeah, he's gotLamborghini, but none of this
(35:55):
matters unless he's got Jesus.
So we always look for theplayers that are active with
Jesus and and really stand bywhat he says.
And so it's really, reallygreat story.
And I just have one of mychildren in here that would love
to pray over you um for whatyou're doing.
So her name is Jules.
Um, she's gonna pretend to knowwhat fulfillments.
Desmond (36:16):
Look, I receive all of that.
Let's go, Jules.
Speaker 5 (36:20):
Alright.
Thank you for having God thatwe have to talk to you and that
we're gonna frequency where wecan.
Thank you for sacrificing Godthat we are able to talk to
sacrifice and um thank you forum thank you for Joey who runs
this larger radio god, and heactually did a really good job
(36:43):
with this.
And thank you for Sesmond andhim speaking to the Dolphins
God, and uh the Dolphins teammembers can also get to know
you, Jesus, and we see them inheaven.
Speaker 7 (36:56):
Amen.
Thank you, Jewel.
Speaker 6 (37:00):
Cheering you on wholeheartedly now.
Joey (37:03):
Thank you.
Amen to that.
Thank you.
God bless you guys.
Speaker 6 (37:06):
Thank you, Mr.
Cook.
Joey (37:07):
God bless you, God bless you all.
Oh, that was the light of thiswhole thing.
That was sweet.
That was amazing.
Omar, you didn't get it on themic, but he said, that was
really amazing.
Omar (37:17):
That was the highlight of this whole thing.
Amen.
I mean, we can talk all wewant.
Here's a child.
Come on, what did Jesus say?
Desmond (37:23):
Man, I don't know.
But the children come on, man.
Amen.
That was amazing.
Joey (37:27):
That was amazing.
Thank you.
Thank you for calling.
You have time to call or text786-313-31 uh 15.
But uh yeah, thank you, Omar,for bringing uh Mrs.
Cook into the the storyline andthe picture.
She's you know, so many timesour wives are are that uh behind
the scenes pillar of support,you know, that that people don't
(37:50):
recognize, you know.
Uh and there's so many cheesy,funny ways to say, you know,
behind every strong man, there'sa strong wife, all that, you
know, beside every successfulman, there's an amazing woman,
all that stuff.
But it's true, you know, it'strue.
Um, Desmond, I would love tofast forward a little bit just
to hear more about uh whatyou're doing in FCA, kind of the
(38:10):
scope and reach of yourministry.
And again, the credit goes tothe Lord, and then some some
cool and fun things about whatyou do with the dolphins as
well.
Desmond (38:17):
No, absolutely.
Uh again, uh having taken uhtaken over uh the FCA ministry
down here in South Floridaalmost nine years ago, I guess.
Um, we we were kind of in ourinfancy compared to all other um
other places around thecountry.
Uh, but the Lord's justcontinued to do a mighty work.
Every year, what we've seen iswe've had more people uh that
(38:38):
have become either volunteers,come on staff, become donors,
become board members to help usto spread this gospel message uh
throughout the entire county,public, private, charter
schools.
Uh, we don't care.
Look, look, if if you chaseafter an ice cream chuck, we're
calling you an odd an athleteand you're gonna get this
gospel.
So, like, that's kind of ourapproach to it.
(38:58):
And over the last what fiveyears, um, I think the number is
5,100 young people and coacheshave made a decision to trust
Jesus uh with their lives.
Uh, we're excited.
November 1st, we have uh twosets of baptisms coming up for
kids in the southwest part ofBroward County and in the
central part.
(39:19):
Um we'll work we'll coordinatethe dates of some of the local
churches for the other areas.
Uh, but that's what we'reseeing.
We're seeing the uh kidsreceive the word of God, coaches
receive the word of God,respond to it, and then the next
phase, which is do somethingwith it, right?
They now have salvation andthey are being active on their
campuses and sharing the gospelthemselves.
(39:40):
Um, but it's the same approachI have with the dolphins as
well, which is like uh I wasexcited, you know.
I'm excited by uh our younglady uh here and and and we have
we the Lord has given us ateam.
I know the results aren't greaton the field yet.
Uh I promise it's gonna getturned around.
But here's what I can tell you.
(40:02):
Uh there our our midweek Biblestudy is three times larger than
it's ever been uh since I'vebeen there.
These men, after an entire longweek, they show up in the
office at 6:30 in the morning.
Uh by the time four o'clockrolls around, some of these
guys, most of these guys havetheir own families they'd like
to get home to and are stillwaiting an additional 30 to 45
(40:22):
minutes to get in the word ofGod in the middle of the week.
Um we have a team full of menthat love the Lord and that are
actively trying to go at andshare the word.
Like so, some of those guyswill be at our November 1st
baptism to just really encouragethese young athletes uh across
the sports spectrum uh and themtaking the next step of
(40:45):
obedience in their faith walk umby just publicly declaring to
the Lord to the world what theLord has already done on the
inside of them.
So I'm thankful for the guysthat we have.
Um and look, and they're all indifferent stages of their walk,
which is what makes the midweekBible study fun.
Uh, because we sit around kindof like how we do with the uh
the Tuesday night Bible study,you know, I'll facilitate, kind
(41:07):
of throw out the red meat, andthen watch these men as they
begin to kind of sharpen oneanother.
Um, or as Paul would say inEphesians, right?
That that uh work towards aunity of the faith, right?
And so, like I he has this onethought about something, he has
another thought, he'll pull fromscripture, they'll go.
And my job at that point, I'mthe bumper rail at the bowling
(41:28):
alley.
I my job is to make sure thisthing don't go into the gutter.
And uh so I'm blessed.
I I'm probably more blessedthan they are, I'm gonna be
quite frank, that we have peopleat that level that recognize
all that they have is by thegrace of God.
Amen.
Omar (41:44):
It's an interesting thing that you do there with the
dolphins, but here's myquestion: the bottom line in
terms of prayer, do you sit withyour players and do you pray to
win?
Or do you pray to play the gameright?
Yeah.
Because you get a combinationhere.
We all want to win.
Absolutely.
Okay, they went to Clevelandthinking they're gonna win, they
didn't go there thinkingthey're gonna lose.
(42:05):
They lost, but that's here andnot there.
But the whole idea is theprayer, the goal, is it about
winning and losing, quoteunquote, or about how to play
the game and let the Lord leadus where he needs to lead us.
Desmond (42:17):
So, one thing, if you ever stay after a game just for
a few minutes, you're gonnanotice around the 50-yard line,
uh, players and coaches andstaff from both teams come
together, um, and then we alljust pray.
Um because we know that we caneven do what we did without uh
without his grace, without hismercy.
Um I think we go for the biggerwin, clearly, as far as what we
(42:42):
pray for.
Everybody knows our desire onthe field.
Like, I want to win.
You know what else I want?
I don't know, I want 20 milliondollars.
Uh you know what else I want?
Like, you know what I'm saying?
Like, there's a lot of thingsin life that I want that I
desire, but the greatest of allthe desires, at least my hope,
is that whatever I do andwhatever the Lord allows me to
(43:02):
have or experience, that I'mable to glorify him in it.
What if you know it's like sowhen when Paul talks about the
secret to contentment, he'slike, Man, look, I I know how to
abound.
I also know how to be broughtlow.
Uh, I've had plenty and I'vehad lack, but through it all, I
recognize that I can do allthings, not four foot three guy
being a slammed down champion inthe NBA, but that I can do all
(43:26):
things, meaning I can accomplishwhat God has created me and
called me to do, yeah, in spiteof my circumstance.
And so our prayer is simplythis God help us to go out
there, play in such a way thatuh when the world looks at us,
yeah, they're able to recognizethat we do this game different.
Joey (43:42):
Yeah.
Omar (43:42):
It's interesting because in 2 Timothy 5 it says, anyone
who competes in athletics, he isnot crowned unless he competes
according to the rules.
And how does that apply to you?
In other words, if you're gonnacompete, compete, you're gonna
compete according to the rules.
Desmond (44:02):
Well, I mean, uh I think it's it's plain uh plain
language, right?
Like uh there's there's astandard by which we do things.
Uh we don't take shortcuts, youknow, we don't cut corners, we
don't take illegal, you know,get illegal edges to try because
it doesn't bring guy glory.
Uh and by the way, I'd say thatthat's more than just in the
(44:23):
sports sphere.
I'd say that's in the marketsin the marketplace.
You know, if your ability tobecome top earner at your job
came because you lied to yourclients, uh, you obfuscated, you
manipulated, it's the samething.
Same thing in pol in thepolitical realm as well.
Like so, no matter what thesphere of influence that we've
been called to, yeah, we play bythe rules and we do it with
(44:47):
excellence so that he is the onethat's glorified in it.
That's our approach.
Joey (44:51):
Yeah, I want to ask you something, and it's a very
specific question.
I'm not asking for any names.
Yes, we're going to theplayoffs.
Hey, yes, done.
I'm not asking for any names,but is there a moment where you
met someone, a player, a coach,a celebrity, whatever, and they
were the real deal?
(45:12):
And maybe people don't reallyknow them like that, but they
love the Lord, they they haveintegrity.
Has that happened?
Does it happen often?
What what's that like in inyour ministry at your level?
Desmond (45:24):
I'd say yeah, I mean, uh, and I'm pretty sure they
wouldn't even mind me.
You know, they they're notasking for it, but like I'm
thinking like the Jalen Ramseyof the world, you know,
unpolished.
But when I say his heart, hisdesire is just to serve God,
like he's real with that.
Uh uh Jonah John Lewis Smith,who we had last year, the tight
(45:47):
end.
Same thing.
And as far as the current listof guys, again, I'm telling you
right now, we have uh 28, 25 to28 guys showing up the to to
chapel service.
We have you know somewherebetween 16 and 20 guys showing
up to midweek study.
We got about 30, 35 to 40people showing up that prayer
circle before the game.
So yeah, we have a bunch of menthat recognize, man, I can't,
(46:09):
and I'm talking about bothplayers and coaches.
Yeah, um, you know, and butagain, they're in different
levels of their walk.
But as far as like the ones whoare like all in, yeah, but
that's kind of the beauty of whothey are.
They're all in isn't seekingglory in it.
Speaker 3 (46:24):
Right.
Joey (46:25):
Um that's why I didn't even, I'm not saying even with
the name, but but just you know,the reason I asked that is to
get people to think look, Ithink that many of us that watch
sports games or watch publicfigures, we're e we're quick to
judge, right?
Oh, they got this sound by orthey said this, or I didn't like
how they said this.
(46:45):
Dude, you don't know, buthere's someone that's that's
with many of these people on adaily basis, and he can tell
you, you know, some of thesepeople are the real deal.
So so just to hear that fromyou, you know, the listeners.
Desmond (46:58):
Look, I I I probably caution this, uh, on you know,
and I know it's just aeuphemism, you know, real deal,
whatever.
Um I all of it's still flawed.
Like, I don't know.
We we've been walking with theLord, some of us for 40, 50, 60
years, and I promise you, uh, ifyou take a magnifying lens to
to their lives, you'll findsomething you can be
disappointed about, right?
(47:19):
Uh you have you have alphapersonalities and a hyper
competitive atmosphere.
Every now and then they'regonna they're not gonna say
things the right way, but ifyou're asking about their heart,
I'm you know, look, if weexamine David's life, I'm pretty
sure that thing with him andBathsheba and Uriah, right?
But the Lord Himself declaredDavid a man after his own heart.
(47:42):
And so I think even flawedfolks can be ultrally passionate
about just serving God.
We just we're just flawedindividuals.
We don't get it right off.
Omar (47:53):
Desmond, um Tua right now is uh is a is a target.
Tua wears two crosses on hischeek.
Is that does that make him uh atarget also because of the idea
that he he is putting hisChristianity on his face on the
line?
Desmond (48:09):
I mean, I don't know about Target.
I mean, I I I I've known him tobe like of criticism well
because of the fact that Tuawears the crosses.
You know, uh maybe I don't I Idon't know, maybe I don't I
don't have the uh like thevictimization complex a lot of
us uh try uh often wear.
Like yeah, the world doesn'tlike what Christians um what we
(48:30):
believe in all the time, or youknow, but yeah, it kind of comes
out of territory.
Jesus told us it was gonna belike that.
Uh I think you know, if Tuagets criticism, it's not
necessarily for his faith, uh,because he's not Tim Tebeing uh
in that sense, but he is he isbold about his faith, right?
Like uh he professes his faith,but I think we we also live in
a day and age and in a seasonwhere a lot of athletes and
(48:55):
performers are boldly professingtheir faith.
Joey (48:57):
I think I'm seeing that more.
Desmond (48:59):
Yeah, I think where we can possibly get targeted, if we
want to call it that, is whenthere's uh it's there's
incongruence in what we espouseand then how we live.
Joey (49:12):
Right.
You know what I mean?
Yeah, that's where thecriticism will come heavy in
hypocrisy, right?
Is the word hypocrisy.
Desmond (49:17):
Well, so in one sense, hypocrisy, but other the other
sense I'd say is like if I quoteJesus without the heart of him,
yeah, right?
Yeah, the the non-believingworld, they'll receive that
differently.
Yeah, you know what I mean?
Like I can I can promise youthis, as much as I'm bragging
about like the amount ofbelievers that are in the
building, we got a whole bunchof folks that are not believers,
(49:38):
right?
That's why you're there.
I remember I try to givesomebody one of these coins,
they're like, nah, I'm good.
Like, you know, and and it'sfine.
I'll share a story offline oneday.
Um, but I'll say this.
So how we address and deal withthem though, yeah.
I think the approach has to bethis, and this is this is really
Jesus' point, uh, and theBeatitudes, right?
(50:00):
Uh, blessed are the poor inspirit.
Yeah, because when you're poorin spirit, what you recognize is
spiritually I am bankrupt.
Like uh when you can come tothat place in your spiritual
walk that on my own, yeah, Idon't have it, I'll never, I'll
never have it.
Um it changes how you look atpeople that aren't saved yet.
(50:22):
Because we can we can sometimeshave the sense where I've been
walking with the Lord now, andwe can get a little snooty with
non-believers.
I you know, I I constantly hearpeople talk about look at them,
look I'm like, yeah, but thatwas you once upon a time.
Like we we didn't come out ofthe womb out here worshiping
Jesus.
Joey (50:39):
And also that was me.
And if you're honest, thatstill can be me if you catch me
on a bad day.
And thirdly, if you look at theway the Bible describes an
unregenerated person, they'reblind, they're dead, they're
they don't know any better.
You know, I didn't know anybetter.
I didn't want to cause again.
(51:01):
This is now, you know, thinkingof the ages of people that are
listening and students, I didn'twant to cause ladies to suffer
and my decisions and how Itreated them and what I did, and
uh I didn't I didn't know whatI was doing, I didn't know the
ramifications of my actions, soon and so forth.
So so you know, and and even ifuh so you guys are getting it.
They're looking at me in thestudio, they're getting it.
(51:22):
So hopefully the Lord couldtranslate all that to those that
are listening.
Desmond, I wanted to make sure,man, if there's anything else
you wanted to cover, we got liketwo minutes before we we finish
our live program.
If there was anything else youwanted to share, just man, just
to to anyone listening, thebelievers, dolphins, f a FCA,
whatever.
(51:42):
Yeah, any final thought?
Desmond (51:44):
I I'd say just piggybacking off what we just
talked about, right?
Uh Ephesians 2, I think, is oneof the most phenomenal chapters
uh in all of the Bible.
It reminds us, even as savedfolks, who we once were, but
also kind of points to the issueof the world.
So uh, and it's a reminder ofwhy we need to do what God's
called us to.
He says, We were all once dead,walking in our sins and
(52:05):
trespasses.
Sin, I simply missed the mark,trespassed.
I was on the path and Ideliberately got off.
Don't really care how you gotthere, whether you accidentally
missed it or you purposely gotoff the path, because of that,
you are spiritually dead,separated from God.
But then you have that thatseminal moment, right?
Uh that verse four of Ephesianschapter two, but God been rich
and mercy with the great lovewith which he loved us, he
raised us up.
(52:25):
We were dead, dead things can'tmake decisions, dead things
can't choose to do anything,right?
But he raises us up so that wehave the ability now to choose
him back.
And so for those of us that aresaved, it's not by our works,
it's not because I'm holy, it'snot because one day I decided,
you know, this just isn't it.
No, what happened was when Iwas spiritually dead, God,
(52:47):
because he's rich in his ownmercy with the great level with
which he loves me, he raised meup.
But here's why he raised me up.
He says, You are hisworkmanship, another
translation, you are hismasterpiece.
That's poetry.
That's how he sees that's howhe sees you, created in Christ
Jesus, to do good works and towalk in them.
Our works don't save us, but hesaved us so that we may do the
(53:10):
good works.
Amen.
Omar (53:12):
You know, this is the appetizer.
I was gonna say we get CBMC,give us the info.
This is the appetizer that uhfor for for the listeners,
because if you really want tosee, want to be part of the full
course, a week from tomorrow,on October the 28th at 1230, uh
Desmond is going to be joiningus at the monthly CBMC lunch,
(53:33):
which is held at the 94th AirSquadron restaurant, which is
located right on 836 and 57Northwest 57th Avenue, right
next to the airport, east of836.
And he will be there from 1230to 1, at which time we're going
to be interviewing him andgetting even more information or
more tidbits of wonderfulinformation from Desmond.
(53:54):
Social Security numbers.
So 94th Aero Squadron, date andtime again?
October the 28th.
Tuesday, October the 28th,eight days from today.
Joey (54:04):
Got it.
So not tomorrow.
Omar (54:05):
Not tomorrow, but the following Tuesday at the 94th
Air Squadron restaurant, whichis located on 836 and Northwest
57th Avenue, 1230.
Be there so you can not onlyhear Desmond, but you can see
why we were bigger than life.
Joey (54:21):
You can see why we were laughing about this early life.
Yeah.
Desmond, I can't thank youenough.
Omar, thank you again.
Thank you to CBMC for bringingsuch wonderful guests and
friends to us.
And Desmond, again, thank youfor sharing and thank you for
what you did for your chair.
Intro (54:37):
We hope you enjoyed Friends and Family, unique
conversations recorded andproduced in our studios where
you get a chance to hear whatGod is doing in people's lives.
Jesus tells us in John 15,verse 15, I have called you
friends for all things that Iheard from my father, I have
made known to you.
So that's why we love to sharethese exclusive interviews with
you.
(54:57):
Our hope is that through theirstories, God will be made known
to you.
You can only find them here onGodsway Radio.
Just check godswayradio.com forour full program together.
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