John Kasay

There are lots of athletes, including myself, who have reached lofty goals in life only to ask themselves, "Is this all there is to achieve?"

I remember living and breathing football as a young person growing up in Athens, GA. I started kicking a ball around at age four, and from that point on, football consumed my life.

My goal was to play college football, and I didn't want anything to stop it from happening. I stayed away from drugs, I never had a serious girlfriend, and I studied to keep my grades up so I could play football.

After a successful prep career at Clarke Central High School, my dream came true. I became the kicker at the University of Georgia. But something happened when I got there. For some reason the feeling of being a big-time college athlete wasn't that great. I had reached my goal, but I felt empty inside. I needed something else - perhaps a greater goal - something I could focus on again. The next level of football was the NFL, so everything I did was directed toward becoming a professional.

Eventually I reached that goal as well, but before I was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in 1991, my perspective on life changed in less than a week.

It happened just before my senior year in college. I had the opportunity to be a counselor at Greg Brezina's "Week of Champions" gathering in Hilton Head Island, SC. Greg was a former NFL linebacker, and I had a chance to rub shoulders with several other NFL players.

Right away I noticed how generous and gracious the people were - even the athletes! Later I found myself talking to Charles Collins who worked with the Athletes In Action ministry in Atlanta. We hit it off right away, and then he asked me to tell him about my relationship with Jesus Christ.

I was stuck. I didn't know what to say. I tried to talk my way around the issue, but soon it became obvious to both of us that I really didn't know Jesus in a personal way.

As the week went on, I could plainly see that all of these people had something I didn't have, and that was peace, joy and lasting contentment. It didn't come from money, fame, prestige or personal pleasure. It came from God through their relationship with Jesus Christ.

When former NFL pro Wallace Francis spoke about his faith in God, he raised some questions that I was forced to deal with. Was my life filled with meaning and purpose? Was I experiencing real peace and contentment? Did I know for sure that I would spend eternity in heaven when I died or when the Lord returned?

I couldn't answer "yes" to these questions until I put my trust in Jesus Christ. I asked him to come into my heart where I asked Him to direct my life, and I asked Him to fill my life with His peace.

Once I established a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, my priorities began to change. Instead of playing for my own selfish gain, I wanted to honor the Lord by giving my best effort and conducting myself in a manner that would glorify Him - win or lose!

As an NFL kicker, I've experienced a lot of high points and low points. I know what it's like to kick a game-winning field goal - everybody loves you. I also know the feeling of missing one or more potential game winners - nobody wants to be around you.

It's great to know that no matter what happens on the field, God still loves me, and even when I go through tough times, He's with me, and I can experience His peace.

If you would like to know more about Jesus and what He can do for you, just click the button on the left side of your screen to change your life.