“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me His prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.” — 2 Timothy 1: 7-8
Don’t Be Timid
Many of the best athletes in sports today played at colleges without high-profile programs known for producing pros. Antonio Brown (Central Michigan), Adam Thielen (Minnesota State) and Jimmy Garoppolo (Eastern Illinois) come to mind in football. Basketball examples include Damion Lillard (Weber State) and Steph Curry (Davidson). Even though they weren’t recruited by traditional powers, they continued to trust in their abilities and kept working to improve their game.
These players, and plenty of others in similar situations, refused to let the disadvantages that come with going to smaller schools prevent them from pursuing professional careers. At some point, they were given a chance to show what they were capable of. When the opportunity came, they proved they could play with the best of the best and belonged at the highest level sports can offer.
Even though we don’t have the answer to every question and may not feel qualified, God calls us to be bold in our faith. He sent the Holy Spirit so we can share our testimony and spread God’s love fearlessly. God offers hope and eternal life to everyone — that’s a huge deal!
With the Holy Spirit’s help, we don’t have to be ashamed or timid when talking about what the Lord has done.
— Joshua Doering
If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@sportsspectrum.com.
Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron during the 2024-25 College Football Playoff quarterfinals. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter stole the spotlight with his stellar two-way play last season, but Hunter did not take home the Thorpe Award as the top defensive back in the nation. That honor went to Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron, who is also expected to hear his name called Thursday night during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Barron tied for the SEC lead with five interceptions (one more than Hunter had at Colorado) and allowed the lowest passer rating in the country, according to Pro Football Focus. An Associated Press first-team All-American and All-SEC first-team selection, the Austin, Texas, native helped lead his hometown school to the College Football Playoff in 2023 and 2024.
Lowest Passer Rating Allowed in Man Coverage Last Season:
In a video breaking down Barron’s skillset, NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said, “All around an excellent football player.” Most mock drafts have Barron going in the middle of the first round, with Pro Football Focus projecting him to be taken 11th overall by the San Francisco 49ers.
"You can blitz him, he can play the run, he makes plays on the football. All around an excellent football player."
In 57 games across five seasons for the Longhorns, Barron registered 227 total tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, eight interceptions and one forced fumble. He picked off three passes in two games against Georgia in 2024.
While the conversation about defensive backs has been focused on Hunter (who also plays wide receiver), Barron has not been shy about expressing confidence in his ability to perform at the next level.
“I most definitely believe that I am CB1,” he told On SI. “I’m so versatile. I can do a lot. I can go play corner, I can play nickel, and I can play safety. So I’m what you need, and I can go do it for you in the most humble way.”
Barron has also not been shy about sharing another important aspect of his life: his faith in God. He has referenced his faith on social media and discussed the role faith played in the Longhorns’ locker room during the team’s run to the CFP semifinals last season.
Don't follow the world's definition of success; we go for the limit that God defines as our win.
After Texas lost to eventual national champion Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, Barron used the postgame press conference to put the defeat in perspective and point people to Christ.
“At the end of the day, I just want everyone to know [you don’t always] come out on top, but we won,” he said. “We truly know who our leader is, and that’s God and Jesus Christ. Ultimately, just having the ability to use the gift that He gave us to share to the world, I mean, it’s been amazing.”
“We truly know who our leader is, and that’s God and Jesus Christ.”
Powerful words from Texas Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron after their loss to Ohio State. pic.twitter.com/ckSEH15mbM
Following the team’s quarterfinal win over Arizona State, he shared about trusting in God’s timing — some thoughts that are quite appropriate as he now waits to see where his NFL career will begin.
“I told all the guys, like, last year and the years before previously, I wanted things done on my time,” Barron said. “But it doesn’t work like that. God has everything planned. It’s already written. And all you have to do is just keep going with the process and just trusting the process and then allowing everybody to be a plus in your life and trusting everybody. So just literally relying on God.”
The NFL Draft gets underway from Green Bay, Wisconsin, at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday. Rounds 2 and 3 will take place on Friday, and the draft will wrap up with the final four rounds on Saturday.
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” — Ephesians 4:15
The results of King David’s affair with Bathsheba were horrendous (2 Samuel 11-13). She got pregnant and David ordered the murder of her husband, who was one of his own military leaders.
Although David suffered greatly from the consequences of his sin, he received forgiveness from the Lord (Psalm 51) after God sent the prophet Nathan to rebuke him and convict him of his sin (2 Samuel 12:1-7). To David’s credit, he received Nathan’s rebuke and acknowledged his sin. King David didn’t defend his actions or make excuses. He admitted that he had blown it and took full responsibility. He allowed himself to be held accountable.
Rebuke is a word we don’t use much anymore, but it’s found repeatedly in the Bible. It means to express a sharp, stern disapproval or reprimand to chastise or admonish, especially a formal one given by a person in authority.
One mark of a trustworthy leader is one who graciously and humbly receives valid criticism and allows himself to be checked and held accountable for his actions (Proverbs 27:5, Psalm 141:5). Good leaders also know how to rebuke and hold others accountable in a way that promotes growth and change, not resentment and rebellion (Ephesians 4:15 (above), Colossians 4:6).
To be a great leader or teammate, you must be humble enough to allow yourself to be held accountable for your actions, and wise enough to know how to hold others accountable, not out of a critical heart but a loving one.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) drives past a Bucks defender, April 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
The Indiana Pacers have improved on their regular-season record each of the three full seasons star guard Tyrese Haliburton has been with the franchise. A year ago they made the postseason for the first time in four years, won a playoff series for the first time since 2014, and advanced all the way to the NBA’s Eastern Conference Finals.
This spring, with a 50-32 regular-season record and the No. 4 seed in the East, Haliburton and the Pacers are positioned for another deep playoff run.
Haliburton had a relatively quiet game in Indiana’s 117-98 Game 1 victory Saturday against its first-round opponent, the Milwaukee Bucks, yet still nearly compiled a triple-double; he scored 10 points, dished out 12 assists and snagged seven rebounds.
Drafted No. 12 overall by the Sacramento Kings out of Iowa State in 2020, Haliburton was traded to the Pacers mid-way through the 2021-22 season. In Indiana, he’s become one of the best passers in the NBA and a two-time All-Star (2023, 2024). He averaged 9.2 assists per game this regular season (the third-most in the league) in addition to his 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.
Haliburton was a member of Team USA’s gold medal-winning basketball team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and as his fame has grown, he’s continued to speak about the importance of faith in his life. At a press conference earlier this month, he was asked about the chapel services NBA teams hold before games.
“Chapel is a big part of my game-day routine,” Haliburton said. “It started my rookie year with Harrison Barnes. As my vet, he always made sure I was going to chapel. … That 15-20 minutes I get every day to step aside and talk about what really matters — which is my Lord and Savior — I think it’s very important for me. I think we’ve built a little bit of a community within our locker room too.”
He continued later, “It’s a super cool thing that we do here in the NBA and I always appreciate it. So (chapel has) been a big part of my success and, honestly, my sanity throughout this year. It’s been an up-and-down year, but I know that coming back to the [Bible], coming back to my peace really there always makes me feel at peace and knowing the bigger picture.”
Haliburton writes “To Him be the glory forever” in his X bio, and this summer in an interview with GQ said his Bible was the first of 10 items he can’t live without.
“Over the last two years, my religion has become very important in my life,” he said in the video. “Just understanding that I’m made in the image of God, in a world where you have a bad game and they’re killing you on social media, or confidence goes up and down, I can always come right here. [The Bible] is my peace.”
Haliburton admitted he’s never truly read the Bible until recent years, knowing only the isolated verses athletes commonly reference. However, as the 25-year-old Oshkosh, Wisconsin, native has established himself in the NBA, God has been at work in his heart to draw him closer to Himself.
“Growing up we didn’t go to church a lot, but we understood God’s place in our lives,” Haliburton told NBA.com last year. “Now that I’m an adult I guess — I own a house now and live on my own — I go to church on Sunday every chance I can. I go to chapel before games.”
God has even used Haliburton’s life as a witness to his own parents, John and Brenda.
“Tyrese is humble and very blessed,” John told Andscape in December 2023. “We give God the praise and the glory. Tyrese is nothing without the mercy of God. He knows how to handle it. He knows where he comes from.”
Tip-off for Game 2 between the Bucks and Haliburton’s Pacers is set for Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET in Indianapolis, as Indiana will try to secure a commanding two-game lead in the best-of-seven series. And one thing is for certain: 60 minutes before tip, Haliburton will be in chapel, learning about and worshiping God.
From left to right: Carter Coughlin, Annabelle Hasselbeck and Yossiana Coughlin. (Photo by Sports Spectrum)
THIS IS SPORTS SPECTRUM’S WHAT’S UP PODCAST
WITH ANNABELLE HASSELBECK
On today’s episode of Sports Spectrum’s “What’s Up” podcast, we have Carter and Yossiana Coughlin.
We’re so excited to talk to the Coughlins about the fun hobbies they have together, their time playing college sports, and how they’ve leaned on their faith throughout their professional football and volleyball careers.
