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
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Matt Forte (left) and Adam Wainwright (right) after their Sports Spectrum recording.
THIS IS THE SPORTS SPECTRUM PODCAST WITH MATT FORTE, FEATURING ADAM WAINWRIGHT
Adam Wainwright is a former MLB pitcher who played 18 years with the St. Louis Cardinals from 2005 to 2023. He finished his career with 200 wins, three All-Star selections, two World Series championships, two Gold Gloves and the 2020 Roberto Clemente Award.
In retirement, Wainwright is now serving as an analyst with FOX Sports’ MLB coverage while also pursuing a country music career.
Today, Adam Wainwright returns to the podcast to talk with Matt Forte about his journey of faith, retirement from baseball, using his platform to share the Gospel, his evolving music career, and balancing life as a broadcaster, husband and father.
Two great shows so far in Illinois. First stop was in Bloomington and that was amazing! Tonight we were in Effingham, and tomorrow we’ll be in Marion at the Marion Culture and Civic Center! Y’all come check us out. Here is a little clip from tonight! Thank you Effingham!!! pic.twitter.com/iNge5hN6qU
I grew up in a family that loves horses. Both my parents spent time in their childhood around these beautiful animals and I’ve had opportunities to ride and be around them as well. When watching a horse competition on TV a while ago, I was reminded of what wonderful examples they can be, especially since there are so many similarities between them and personality traits of people. Whether you’re a parent, coach, leader, spouse or friend, I hope you find these lessons helpful as I have.
1) Don’t miss the power of encouragement. If you watch good show riders, they will often give the horse encouragement mid-run. They understand the power of positive enforcement — the more you let the horse know you are pleased with them and their performance, the more they will want to continue trying and doing well.
Unfortunately, many lead from a place of negative energy — they’re always telling people everything that’s wrong instead of focusing on the little wins and lifting them up to the level they are wanting. We don’t need to stroke anybody’s ego, but some positive praise and encouragement go a long way.
2) Heart, courage and confidence are what matters, not appearance. Sometimes you’ll get a horse that isn’t all that attractive or necessarily the biggest in the show, but they make up for what they lack in physical qualities with the inner qualities of their spirit. They believe in their training. They trust their rider. They go out there with bravery and sell the performance by the heart they show.
The Bible actually talks a lot about the importance of the inner spirit. David’s brothers were passed up as choices for becoming king because God was looking more at the condition of their heart than how they looked (1 Samuel 16:7). God is always more concerned with what’s going on inside your soul than your outward size or appearance. That should be what matters most to us, too.
3) Transformation takes time. You can’t instantly turn a horse into an eventer. There is a process of teaching them how to carry themselves, respond to the rider’s moves, tune out distractions, and so much more. The most successful competitors in the sport have put in hours upon hours of instruction and time and energy that got them where they are.
The same goes for any growth in our own lives. Part of the beauty of the journey is the process, not just the destination. We must give grace and be patient with how God is changing us and those we love into who we’re all meant to be. This won’t come overnight.
4) Learn to identify and manage givers and takers. Like people, there are horses that are givers and some that are takers. Some horses will continuously go above and beyond to please, while others are harder to get a giving performance out of. The key for the trainer and the rider is to mold even the takers into something as close to a giver as possible (James 3:3).
I can’t help but think that this is part of what God is doing also (Isaiah 64:8, above). Some of us are more easily moldable, while others are more of a stubborn nature so God has to work more with them. But the goal for each is that we turn into more selfless, giving people who look like the Savior we know and follow.
Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) stiff arms a Penn State defender, Nov. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)
Win or lose, Indiana’s dream season will culminate Monday night as the undefeated Hoosiers (15-0) face Miami (13-2) in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. This Indiana unit already owns the most wins school history, but it could become the first major college team in the modern era to reach 16 victories (only Yale in 1894 has gone 16-0).
No single play defines a season, but if there’s one that was perhaps a catalyst for IU’s incredible run, it was Omar Cooper Jr.’s toe-tapping, game-winning catch on the road at Penn State on Nov. 8.
Cooper snagged the pass from eventual Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza in the back of the end zone, tapping his foot just inside the boundary as a defender tried to push him out of bounds. With just 36 seconds remaining, the catch kept Indiana’s perfect season alive and its hopes of playing for a Big Ten championship. The Hoosiers won out in the regular season, then defeated defending national champion Ohio State in the conference championship to earn the No. 1 seed for the College Football Playoff.
“That drive will go down in the annals of Indiana history as one of the most special moments that ever took place,” head coach Curt Cignetti told Hoosiers radio voice Don Fischer after the game. “Penn State was bringing everybody and we went into max protection. Cooper made an unbelievable catch. It’s a game of inches.”
On a team heavily comprised of transfers, especially those who came over from James Madison with Cignetti prior to last season, Cooper is one of the few who has spent his entire college career in Bloomington. The junior from Indianapolis has played in all 15 games this season and leads the Hoosiers in receptions (64) and receiving yards (866), and is second in touchdowns with 13.
In his first two years at IU, Cooper primarily lined up out wide, but he’s found success this season as a slot receiver. He told IUHoosiers.com that he likes the position because it gives him more route-running options.
“It allows my game to be more open and involved,” he said. “At first, I didn’t want to play slot, so I’m actually glad they made that decision.”
His team-high yards mark was aided by a career performance in Indiana’s 73-0 win over Indiana State on Sept. 12: 10 catches for 207 yards and four touchdowns. His next stat-heavy game came in a 38-13 win over Michigan State on Oct. 18, when he caught eight passes for 115 yards and a touchdown.
He’s come a long way since his freshman year, when he caught 18 passes for 267 yards and two touchdowns. Speaking at an event on campus in November, he talked about how his faith played a pivotal role in his career, especially early on.
“Early in my college career, football wasn’t going well for me,” he said. “I just was expecting more and hoping for more. I just was spiraling bad after that.”
Randomly, Proverbs 3:5-6 popped into his head. The verse says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
“In that moment, I was scared, but I felt peace,” he said at the on-campus event. “The fact that that just randomly happened — knowing that I wasn’t really living the life that I was supposed to be living, that God had planned for me, and I turned to the worldly things — it just sent a peace over my head and what I was going through. Ever since then, Jesus just truly changed the way that I see life.”
Cooper wears eye black in the shape of a cross as a statement of his faith in God and often uses his social media to proclaim his faith, with his Instagram bio stating that he’s a “Follower of Christ.” Many of his posts include Scripture.
After his big game against Indiana State, he deflected any praise toward him and instead gave thanks to God.
“First, I just want to give all the glory and praise to God. I wouldn’t have been able to have that without Him,” Cooper said.
Cooper has another year of eligibility after this one, but he’ll have a decision to make following the championship game on whether to return to IU or enter the NFL Draft. With a sprint speed of nearly 22 miles per hour, he’s one of the fastest receivers in the Big Ten. Mendoza said Cooper’s combination of speed and catching skills will earn him a spot on an NFL roster.
Whichever level he chooses to play at, Cooper’s faith will remain at the forefront. Before he takes the field for a game, he recites Colossians 3:23-24: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
“I tell myself that every time I go on the field,” he told IUHoosiers.com. “It helps me push to the next level.”
The Bible is full of life lessons and principles for us to abide by, with one book in particular known to give great wisdom: Proverbs. Recently, I was reading Proverbs 29 and found five lessons we would do well to lead by:
1) Gossip isn’t just harmful to spread, it’s harmful to hear. Sure, as leaders or teammates, we know we shouldn’t gossip. But it goes further — we shouldn’t even listen to gossip. It might seem harmless, but when a leader listens, it spreads negativity through the entire team. Proverbs 29:12 says, “If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked.”
2) Value every member of your team. Never overlook, dismiss, misplace anger on, or devalue the young coach, the player who rarely plays, the entry-level employee, or anyone else who might feel voiceless. Treat everyone with love, respect, justice and appreciation for their contribution. When you do, you gain healthy authority and respect. Proverbs 29:14 (MSG) says, “Leadership gains authority and respect when the voiceless poor are treated fairly.”
3) Lead with humility, not pride. Lead with pride, and you’ll fall and suffer public humiliation. But live and lead with humility, and you’ll lead honorably. Proverbs 29:23 tells us, “Pride brings a person low, but the lowly in spirit gain honor.”
4) Don’t let criticism shake you. Even with the best intentions, perfectly executed plans can still attract criticism. This is summed up perfectly in the quote, “You can be the sweetest and ripest peach, and still there will be someone who hates peaches.” If you let yourself be bothered by the opinions of those who don’t matter, you’ll compromise your standards. Proverbs 29:25 (NLT) warns, “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety.”
5) Expect resistance when you lead righteously. I used to think that striving to be more righteous would bring more support and promotion. The truth is, there will always be those with wicked, evil and ungodly motives who despise you for leading righteously. The sooner you understand and accept that such people will always hate on you as long as you lead the right way, the better off you’ll be. Proverbs 29:27 says, “The righteous detest the dishonest; the wicked detest the upright.”
Applying Biblical wisdom will always honor God, regardless of the circumstances or how great the opposition. You will never regret living and leading God’s way.
