STORIES FROM
EUROPE

Adapted from an article in Christianity Today

For most spectators, the Olympics are a display of the highest level of athletic skill. But for many Christian athletes, they provide an opportunity to express their faith to each other and to the world. A couple of stories are shared here by Olympians who love God.

"Thank you, Jesus"

German shot-putter Yemisi Ogunleye got off to a rough start in her competition on August 9, slipping and falling in rainy conditions on her first throw.

Despite a sore knee, Ogunleye recovered with an excellent second throw to qualify for the finals and was in second place entering her last attempt. She rose to the occasion with a throw of exactly 20 meters (65 feet, 7.5 inches), her best ever in outdoor competition, to win gold.

Asked how she approached that decisive final throw, Ogunleye replied, “Before the last attempt, I didn’t think about anything but just lifted my hands and prayed. And that might seem weird to some people, but that is really the source of my peace and joy. … After seeing where the shot landed, when I knew it was hopefully going to be enough for the gold medal, I just went on my knees and said, ‘Thank you, Jesus.’”

At the end of the post-event media conference, the moderator asked Ogunleye, “Is it true that you sing in a gospel choir? What song was going through your head tonight?” She responded with an impromptu rendition of “God Kept Me” by Harvey Watkins, Jr.:

I was right at the edge of a breakthrough but I couldn't see it.
The devil really held me;
but Jesus came and grabbed me,
And He held me close,
So I wouldn't let go.
God's mercy kept me,
so I wouldn't let go.

"Praise God no matter what"

Olyslagers, age 27, smiles because she knows she will praise God no matter what. As she stated on Instagram, “Praise be to God my Rock! He is my strength and song!”

Olyslagers explains on her website, “The satisfaction that I jump and live by was once performance-driven, to bring meaning to life. Yet that all changed when I was introduced to Jesus.”

In addition to sharing her faith openly, Olyslagers has formed a ministry called Everlasting Crowns. She describes its purpose as “to see fellow athletes transformed by Jesus’s perfect love, planted in churches, and discipled to be a blessing to every place they are sent. Our hope is that they rise up to not only have faith but compete with an eternal perspective.”

For even more stories like these read the full article here