I grew up in a Christ-centered home. I was very involved in my youth group, with which I traveled every summer for mission trips. My overarching belief is that everything happens for a reason.  In January 2008, I went in for an epidural to deal with some back pain, and I never walked out. Right … Read more

When I know I’m about to jump, the dive I’m going to do, I think of my favorite verse in the Bible, which is, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). As I grab my towel and throw it down and start to walk to the edge to do my … Read more

The love of God is fundamental in my life. I grew up in a Christ-centered home and my parents always tried to pass God’s love on to me. At an early age, I saw that when we have faith and believe in God, and go in search of our dreams, we can make the impossible … Read more

I like to think I carry a quiet confidence into the water because of my relationship with Christ. In athletics, where emotions can run high, low and everywhere in between and performance is everything, I think understanding your relationship with Christ keeps everything on an even keel and gives perspective about what’s important. Swimming is … Read more

I was born into a country of another faith — Egypt. Though we had strong morals, we really didn’t know about having a relationship with Christ. Later, I learned more about God and grew up believing in Him. But it was not until I really got involved with Athletes In Action [a Christ-centered faith-based group] during … Read more

While I was growing up, I was expected to go to church, but it was more of a chore.  It was all about doing good things. When I actually felt like I needed God, I would get Jesus off the shelf, brush Him off and use Him as a genie.  I used God when I … Read more

Sri Lanka’s Julian Bolling is a three-time Olympian. He represented his country in the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Games as a swimmer. “The 84 Olympics, was the first of the 3 Olympics I went to, but we never planned on it, and it suddenly came. There is a lot of pride involved because you are … Read more

In middle school and high school, I started struggling internally with thoughts of sin and other faith issues. Having grown up in a Christian household, I thought, maybe I’ll ask God for help. Maybe I’ll try this God thing. God saved me during that time and my relationship with Him grew from there. When I … Read more

“If I fail, help me to still give You glory. If I succeed, let me point it to You.”  It’s easy to say these things but when the moment actually happens, what do we do? I try to pray these things over my game and my at-bat every time I go up to the plate.  … Read more

There’s an outward form of worship and an inward one. Recently, I was listening to an interview with Brooke Fraser from Hillsong, who helped write the song “What a Beautiful Name It Is,” which won a Grammy. She talked about this idea of both outward and inward worship and how to handle the accomplishment of … Read more