Erinn Black
Episode 147
22 NOV 2021
She was on the Division I George Mason women’s soccer team and then served in a Student Assistant Coaching/Manager role with the team. Earlier on as a student-athlete she had competed in three sports in high school: field hockey, track, and soccer. Now doing missionary work on a college campus, she was an all-state field hockey player and captain of her travel/high school soccer team. Injuries in her athletic career played a key role in the growth of her faith life, as she talks about here.
Notable guest quotes:
“Born and raised Catholic and have always been. Both my parents are Catholic and that’s how they raised us.”
“What I found with each injury and the intensity of it, there were so many ways that I was able to enter into a deeper relationship with Jesus in that.”
“Our suffering is always an invitation to die to ourselves for the sake of others.”
“He loves meeting us there. That is what’s echoed in scripture. He’s going to those who are in poverty, the weak, those who are poor. And at this rate I was extremely poor. I was suffering severely in my injuries.”
“It’s one thing when you can live into the faith when things are good. But it’s a whole ‘nother thing when you’re choosing that in the darkest days of your life.”
“There were plenty of days where I ended in the chapel, with tears, and just emotional, but being very consoled by Jesus and it actually being life changing for me.”
“I was still empty, and I had everything that the world told me that I should have, and nothing could fill that infinite longing in my heart until I met Christ. It’s as simple as that.”
“When the Lord revealed that the ‘why’ that I was asking Him — ‘Why didn’t you give me the platform. I could’ve done this, that, and the other for You” — He made it very clear. He said, ‘Erin, you wouldn’t have chosen me, and I wanted your heart so bad. It would’ve got so lost. You would not have chosen me, and I wanted you too much’.”
“I’m very thankful, very thankful, for the suffering I’ve gone through, and the degree that I did because I wouldn’t be the person I am, I wouldn’t have the heart that I do, and I wouldn’t know Christ in the depth that I do either.”
“I was so used to kind of being the anchor for most of the people in my life that I needed someone who was going to sprint with me towards heaven.”
“I dove completely into just greater healing, consistent prayer life, sacramental life, this new community, the people I surrounded myself with. And then I was able to dive into that with my soccer team, lead them in Bible study, and accompanying my closest friends on the team.”
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