I ONCE WAS

Stories of life transformation from the pro sports world

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Tijana Duricek and her twin sister were born in war-torn Serbia, and at a young age witnessed their father become an alcoholic who was abusive toward their mom. Scared and afraid one night, they remembered their grandma telling them they could to pray to Jesus. So they asked for His peace and presence — and He found them. As Tijana grew older, she excelled at soccer, so much so that the game became an idol. When a knee injury took away her first pro contract, God asked her, “If you never played another game, would you still love Me?” She realized then that her extravagant value comes from Him alone, not her sport, and she experienced freedom.

Watch the video above to hear Tijana Duricek tell her “I Once Was” story.

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We’re all in the middle of a story, and whether we admit it or not, we want our stories to matter. It’s those stories of deep and lasting impact that come to life when a person encounters Jesus, and responds to Him by faith. “I Once Was” invites those in the pro sports world to share their own transformational stories, describing the very moment that changed their lives forever.

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– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ – Former NFL Quarterback Trent Dilfer
– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ – Former NFL Safety Jordan Richards
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– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ – MLB Shortstop Tommy Edman
– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ – Former MLB All-Star Matt Holliday
– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ – Former NHL Player Nate Prosser
– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ – Former MLB Catcher Matt Wieters
– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ – NFL Wife Kristin Young
– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ – Pro Football Hall Of Famer Bryant Young
– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ – NFL Linebacker Demario Davis
– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ – MLB Pitcher Adam Wainwright
– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ – Former NHL Player Mike Fisher
– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ – Former NFL Tight End Benjamin Watson
– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ – NHL Defenseman Josh Manson
– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ – Former NFL linebacker Lorenzo Alexander
– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ – MLB Shortstop Nick Ahmed
– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ – NFL Quarterback Nick Foles
– WATCH: ‘I ONCE WAS’ Intro – Stories of transformation from pro athletes
– View videos on YouTube