Roger Federer in 2012 (Photo Courtesy: Christian Mesiano/Flickr)
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” — James 1:2-4
Roger Federer, Lebron James, Sidney Crosby, Mike Trout. They are complete athletes who lack nothing. In their sport, they can do it all. And they do it all while making it look incredibly easy. But striving to reach this elite level, and stay there, is most assuredly not as effortless as they make it look. They have pushed their body and mind to their limits to get where they are. Their steadfastness has been tested every step of the way.
As followers of Jesus, it is easy to tell ourselves we want to achieve an elite level of faith like our Bible heroes had. What would it be like to live with the spiritual strength of Elijah, who defeated 450 false prophets and called down fire from Heaven? How does one reach Elijah-like status?
James says that trials and the testing of our faith is what is required to make us perfect and complete. The same Elijah who was the key player in the Mount Carmel miracle of 1 Kings 18 was in a state of deep despair not long after and wanted his life to be taken. God’s plan for perfecting Elijah involved a very intense trial and testing of his faith.
We love the mountaintop experiences of life, and there is nothing wrong with enjoying victories that God graciously allows along our path. But may we always remember that it is in the difficult times that we are perfected in our faith, and in those times may we be able to count it all joy.
— Craig Nixon
If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@sportsspectrum.com.
Click here for all Sports Spectrum Daily Devotionals
“Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, ‘A great multitude is coming against you’ … And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord.” — 2 Chronicles 20:2a, 3-4 (NKJV)
I’m outnumbered — the only female in a house full of testosterone and testosterone-in-training. When my boys were little, it wasn’t unusual to have Nerf darts flying by my head as I walked through the house doing chores. Of course, it also wasn’t unusual for me to gear up and give them a run for their money. As they got older, they wanted to wrestle. You would think they would go after their dad, but perhaps they were looking for an easy target.
What they didn’t know was that God goes before us. You see, God gave me two older brothers. I was ready. I’d be walking through the house when the challenge would come. They’d want to see if they could tackle me, but their challenge was not my first rodeo, so to speak. In fact, I’ve developed some of my own wrestling moves over the years. I’m not sure they are officially sanctioned, but I think they’re solid. My closer: When all else fails, go straight for the armpits. Have you been tickled in the armpit lately? Let’s just say it’s a hard move to overcome.
My time with the boys, whether Nerf guns or wrestling, was all in good fun, but in life we face real battles. The darts sent at us aren’t made of foam; they are made of fire. They aren’t designed to poke us; they are designed to pierce us. The forces that want to wrestle against us aren’t playing around; their intent is to take us down permanently.
That is one reason it is so important for us to know God’s Word. It shows us different moves and counterattacks, like in 2 Chronicles 20. It shows us the needed spiritual gear in Ephesians 6, where we are called to “put on the full armor of God” so we can stand against the enemy’s attacks.
Every once in a while, I’ll try one of my wrestling moves on my husband. Most of the time, he sees them coming. After 20-plus years of marriage, he knows me well. His response is usually the same: “You’re a lightweight.” I’m so glad God is not. When we seek His help against spiritual bullies, the heavyweights of darkness, He steps in with grace that is greater — grace earned in a fight we didn’t undertake, by the One who took the piercing of the nails so that we might have victory.
Thank You, Jesus! The enemy would make us feel like we have to “tap out” as we let lies and fear put us in a chokehold, but the truth is we were never called to fight in our own strength. We need to “tag in” the true Heavyweight Champion. We are told in Ephesians 6:10 to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” God’s Word has a lot to teach us “lightweights,” including that “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17). Glory to His name!
The 37-year-old made the announcement on Tuesday and closes out her career with 8,396 career regular-season points to go along with 4,262 rebounds.
“It was all a dream, that’s the thought that keeps finding me,” she wrote in a statement posted on social media announcing her decision. “That, and deep gratitude. God has covered my life in ways I can’t fully put into words, and by His grace and mercy, I’ve been able to live out something bigger than I ever imagined.”
Charles was selected No. 1 overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2010 WNBA Draft and quickly delivered on the hype, earning Rookie of the Year honors before being named league MVP in 2012. Ahead of the 2014 season, she was traded to her hometown team, the New York Liberty, where she spent six seasons and made five All-Star appearances.
Over the course of her career, she also had stints with the Washington Mystics, Phoenix Mercury, Seattle Storm and Atlanta Dream, before returning to Connecticut for her final season in 2025. Charles was named to the All-WNBA first team five times and the All-Defensive first team once, while also leading the league in rebounding four times and in scoring twice. She helped the U.S. win three Olympic gold medals, and in 2021 she was selected to the WNBA 25th Anniversary Team.
Before turning pro, Charles starred at UConn, leading the Huskies to national championships in 2009 and 2010. As a senior, she swept nearly every major national honor, including AP Player of the Year, John Wooden Player of the Year, USBWA National Player of the Year, and Big East Player of the Year.
“Fifteen years at the professional level and a lifetime of love for this game,” Charles wrote in her post. “I’ve experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows, and I’m thankful for all of it. Through it all, I learned how to show up. When doubt got loud and narratives were written about me, I kept showing up. That’s the New Yorker in me, where resilience is built, not talked about.”
Her bio on X references her faith in God: “His time. His way. His glory.” She’s also been public about her faith in interviews. She told The Ballers Magazine in August 2025 that she accepted Christ through Athletes In Action, and that faith helped her grow in how she was able to handle the mental and physical transition from the college game to the pros.
“My faith is everything for me,” she told the magazine. “Athletes in Action was on our campus and Maya Moore was a part of it. I had another teammate, Kaili McLaren (as well). I went to the camp and I was really able to learn how to make Jesus my motivation for my sport, so just giving thanks to Him for the blessings that I have. Once I accepted Christ — that was in 2009 — every time I took the floor my junior and senior year that’s when I started to turn the corner. I just kept saying to myself: ‘I’m playing for Him. I’m playing for an audience of One.’
“That was my motivation out there. That was the reason why I was going hard. That was the reason why my effort was what it was. That’s why I wanted to get in the gym because it was just my way of glorifying God when I was out there playing. That’s when things started turning for me my last two years at UConn.”
In August 2024, after becoming the WNBA’s second-leading scorer, she gave glory to God in her press conference comments.
“Just a whole bunch of gratitude,” Charles said. “I know this moment is big, but I have to give glory to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I’m just so much in awe at just how faithful He is … it’s unimaginable, and God just really gets the glory.”
She sat out the 2023 season and thought she was done playing. Not in a great space emotionally or mentally, she wasn’t sure if she still had a place in the league.
“So for me to be here right now, this is really special,” she said in the press conference.
She posted on Instagram at the end of 2023 reflecting on what had been a trying year for her and gave praise to God through it. She also referenced Hebrews 12:11, which says, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
“Trials are apart (sic) of life, but God always provides what we need in order to endure,” Charles wrote. “He sifts & refines us & closes doors to position & put us in our right place. Through the disappointments & losses, God’s purpose in all His choices for us is His glory. His goal is not to inflict pain unnecessarily but to let Christ’s life shine through us in hardship, to stabilize our confidence in God’s goodness, and to strengthen our trust in His loving sovereignty.
“His grace is always sufficient. Remember, it’s not the trial that develops or destroys us, but rather our response to that hardship.”
Then, in September 2024, after becoming the WNBA’s all-time rebounding and double-double leader, she gave glory to God in her postgame locker room speech after thanking her coaches and teammates.
“I have to give glory to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” she said. “Last year, my faith is what carried me. My faith is what allowed me to be standing here right now.”
Charles now retires as one of the most decorated players in college and pro basketball history. Perhaps the only thing missing was playing in the WNBA Finals.
“This game gave me everything, and I’ll miss it deeply,” Charles said in her statement. “But my mom always taught me, don’t stop at what you’ve done, keep going toward what you still see. And I still see so much. There are still dreams in my heart waiting to be lived, and I can’t wait to share that journey with you all.”
Like many who grew up in the 1990s, the home run chase between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa in 1998 is a core childhood memory for me. I was ushered into St. Louis Cardinals fandom during the 1996 season, thanks to my brother, but the summer of ’98 is where my love for the Cardinals truly took off.
Like most everyone who watched as the two sluggers raced to break the record of 61 home runs set by Roger Maris, I was enthralled. McGwire ended up getting to No. 62 first and ended the season with 70 home runs — a record that stood until Barry Bonds hit 73 in 2001.
As an adult, I still appreciate the magic that 1998 season brought to 8-year-old me. But overall, my view is much different now. In the years since, we learned that McGwire was using performance-enhancing drugs, and was one of many players doing the same. The game of baseball is still dealing with the effects of that to some degree to this day.
Some of the drugs McGwire took were legal at the time, and others were illegal. Baseball writers and fans have debated on the ethical and moral implications of all of this, and numerous players from that era have effectively been blacklisted by the Baseball Hall of Fame due to their confirmed use or even suspicion of using PEDs. For anyone who cares about integrity, it’s hard to argue with that.
I look back on that season now and can’t help but wonder how all of the players going about their game honestly and through natural means felt watching McGwire and others get celebrated for their achievements, knowing that they were taking shortcuts to get there. They were cheating, yet they were being celebrated and given awards. It wasn’t fair.
What’s even worse is that when this issue was brought to Congress and McGwire was pressed on it, he initially wasn’t truthful. He wasn’t even man enough to own up to his mistake until years later. He wasn’t carrying himself with integrity on or off the field.
As Christians, that is no way for us to live. We are called to be above reproach (Titus 1:7), to walk with integrity (Proverbs 10:9), have a clear conscience (1 Peter 3:16) and live righteously and justly (Proverbs 21:3). There are dozens of other verses that speak to how Christians should live and carry themselves with high character and integrity in their work, relationships and personal lives. We are not to be deceitful, greedy or dishonest. Instead, we are called to live graciously and love sacrificially.
“The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit,” Proverbs 28:18 says.
Sometimes life is going to be unjust, and it’s frustrating to see others cut corners or cheat their way to get a promotion or a job or an award that we desire. It can be tempting for us to fall into the same trap in order to pursue our own selfish desires.
But whether in sports, your work or your everyday life, choose the path of integrity. Be the same person in private as you are in public. Trust that honoring God in how you live matters more than any shortcut to success, and that His hand is steady over those who walk faithfully.
Brandon Lowe (fourth from left), Tony Beasley (fifth from left) and other Pirates players and coaches at the team's annual Faith Night, May 2, 2026. (Photo via X/@TheBuccosFan)
God was glorified Saturday evening at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park, and not because the Pirates scored a season-high in runs on their way to a 17-7 demolition of the Cincinnati Reds.
Following the offensive explosion, the Pirates hosted their annual Faith Night with many of their coaches and players present. Despite the cold, many fans attended the event to worship God through live music and prayer, and to hear from former and current players about all the ways God has been at work in their lives. The inspiring evening ended with a prayer asking for all those in attendance to be ambassadors for the glory of God.
The Pirates held their first Faith Night in 2013, and the annual tradition has become a highly anticipated event on the season calendar.
#FaithNight at PNC Park following the @Pirates Game was one of the best that I ever attended. Thank you @theFortMcKenry, Tony Beasley, Isaac Mattson & Brandon Lowe for sharing about your faith in Jesus Christ. Kudos to @BucsJoe for being our host. It was very cold, but very good! pic.twitter.com/oAo3WYytEt
Pittsburgh players who participated in this year’s event included Bubba Chandler, Billy Cook, Brandon Lowe, Konnor Griffin, Jake Mangum, Isaac Mattson and Ryan O’Hearn. Manager Don Kelly, coaches Matt Hague and Tony Beasley, and studio analyst Michael McKenry were also present.
Third-base coach Beasley and McKenry (a former Pirates player from 2011-13) both shared their powerful testimonies of how God drew them to Himself.
“For me, [baseball is] just a platform,” Beasley said. “This is a platform God has given me. All through my whole career in baseball, I’ve just committed myself to try to stay true to who I am and who God is and really means in my life. … My relationship with God is the most important thing in my life.”
After Beasley and McKenry spoke, two current players were interviewed by Pirates in-game host Joe Klimchak about their faith: relief pitcher Isaac Mattson and second baseman Brandon Lowe.
Mattson spoke first, revealing the unfathomable pain he endured at the loss of his mother by suicide in 2021.
“God’s big enough for those hard conversations, for those times when we are frustrated and going through the hardest seasons of our life,” he said. “God’s big enough for that, and to take our cares and our worries and our anxieties to Him in those moments, I was just constantly reminded of that throughout the course of that season of my life.”
Mattson also talked about rooting his identity in Someone much bigger than baseball.
“It’s kind of cliche to say that we’re not defined by the results on the field, but it is so true,” he said. “Regardless of how tough that day was, and sometimes even how successful that day was, it’s always important to remember that we’re not defined by who we are as baseball players. … We’re God’s children.”
Lowe, in his first season with the Pirates after eight with the Tampa Bay Rays, echoed his teammate’s sentiment.
“Baseball is what I do, it’s not who I am,” the two-time All-Star said. “I think that’s the biggest thing, and the one thing that stands out. We’re led by God.”
“[God is] the greatest Father,” Lowe said. “… You go back and read the Bible, people go against what God’s telling them to do and He [says], ‘I’m gonna keep making you go the right way, whether or not you know it or not.’
“I’m just trying to be as Godly as I can.”
As many Pirates players seek to establish Godly rhythms early in a long baseball season, they find themselves four games behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. Pittsburgh (19-16) begins a three-game road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks (16-17) on Tuesday, with first pitch set for 9:40 p.m. ET.
