Read the Truth

Truth comes to us in many forms from many people and ideas. We wonder what is right and if there really is a standard of one specific truth over everything else. And we dedicate effort and pursuit into finding what and how we believe. We seek it because our souls want certainty.

If we feel uncertainty within us, it’s because there is something more to our days. There is Someone who knows our name and has shown us a way in which to live that brings truth to life. Jesus Christ brings us to the Father and sets the standard for how we love our neighbor, respect ourselves and seek first the will of God that has been already reconciled through the blood of His Son.

In a world that can make us feel like we don’t know where we are going, Jesus grafts a greater Truth as we make a point to learn more about God through His Word.
Coach/Athlete Spotlight
Coach - Chris Hawkins


Where do you coach?
Normal West H.S.

How long have you coached? This will be my 30th year coaching junior high and high school.

What is your primary sport to coach? Baseball

How long have you been involved in FCA? Nearly 20 years

Why/How did you get involved in FCA? My previous Athletic Director invited me to my first coaches' huddle and I've been attending every Friday ever since. 

How has FCA helped you to know and grow in Christ? Being in an FCA Coaches' Huddle has led me to network with coaches from various sports, different genders, and multiple levels: junior high, high school and college. Some coaches have come and gone from our huddle over the years but the Bible has been a constant unchanging guidebook for life for me. I have grown in Christ by being able to share my story with other coaches and to be able to listen and support others who are trying to navigate a world of athletics that continues to seem to want to take God and faith out of the equation. 

What legacy do you hope to leave as a coach? I'm not sure what legacy other than I would want others to know that I was a God-fearing man who tried every day to coach like Jesus coached his disciples-- with care, understanding, and a belief that we are all God's children.  

What is your favorite Bible verse? Asking my favorite verse is difficult to narrow down for me but it's hard to beat Philippians 4:13 - "I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me..."
Athlete - Kenna Skaggs


Where do you attend school?
Prairie Central High School

What grade are you in? I am a Junior

What is your primary sport? Softball

How long have you been involved in FCA? Three years

Why/How did you get involved in FCA?
Shelby Fulk was the one who opened my eyes to this organization and told me that I should play a part in it at my own high school, so I went to our FCA adviser and asked him how I could get involved. 

How has FCA helped you to know and grow in Christ? Through FCA, I have made so many friendships with the Summer camp I went to as well as in my own school. These friendships help keep me accountable and grounded in the truth of Christ. FCA has also given me the opportunity to share the love I have for the Lord, learn more about his truth/promise, and also bring others to get to know their creator. I also have been able to grow my relationship with the Lord by doing huddles and hearing other people's stories that then just inspire me to dig deeper into the word. 

What legacy do you hope to leave as an athlete? I hope that I am able to show others that there is so much more to sports than just the game. God gave us the gift of being able to play this game, so as humans we need to give God all the glory because he was the one who gave his life for us. I want others to know that my relationship with the Lord doesn't stop when I put my cleats on. 

What is your favorite Bible verse?
Joshua 1:9 - "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord you God will be with you wherever you go. "
Make an Impact on Coaches and Athletes in North Central Illinois!
God's Road Map

Reading God’s Truth is imperative if we want to start our year off on the right foot. How we set our course to start determines the direction of the year. We prepare, make our best game plan and work to implement our strategy to stay the course in Christ.
FCA IN ACTION
A Pioneering Spirit

For Yolanda Whitaker, an unexpected foray into sports ministry started with a prayer.

“I want to do more for You, Christ. I want to do more for my church.”

One week later, Whitaker was asked to be part of her church soccer team in the Cayman Islands. Some young men from the community came to play, and afterward she had an opportunity to invite them to church. Yolanda suddenly realized that she had participated in her first sports outreach.
“I didn’t know anything about sports ministry,” she says. “But some of the players from the area started coming to church and got baptized. It was very exciting to see how God was using sports to draw people to Him.”