Faith, Marriage, and NFL Life

There are some who think being a Christian is a liability for people who are in professional sports, that being a Christian tends to make you soft or not a competitor. Kirk cousins the quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings disagrees. I look back and I don't think I'm going to be playing nine years in NFL.

If I'm not a Christian, I mean football is a grind and it's it's physically tough. It's emotionally because of his mentally tough and Christians are the most physically, mentally, mostly tell people that I know and so it football tends to lend itself well to being a Christian and surviving and lasting in the sport. Quite frankly, so I think it's been a huge asset for manning the number times I would've given up the fight and believe that God had a plan and was going use things for my good. I just walked away and so need this but I believe the God was using at the got it brought me to this point for reason he gave me a gift and I had to steward it and trust him with the rest. That's what kept me going. This is family life today hosts are David and Wilson about the pain.

You can find us online@familylifetoday.com how do personal faith and football for any kind of professional athletics out of those mix women talk about that today with Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk cousins and his wife Julie stay with us and welcome to family life to. Thanks for joining us. I grew up in St. Louis and when I was a kid. Our football team in St. Louis was the St. Louis football Cardinals really yeah now the Arizona Cardinals you don't tell us what year that was. I still have I got at home and at our house a St. Louis football Cardinal trashcan somewhere in our house, so it goes way back and went in the course.

St. Louis got the Rams for a while and now St. Louis is got nobody so people say like you have a team that you cheer for, and I've done over the years I have just kinda cheered for. Who are the people I want to be cheering for in the NFL. So I was a Tony Dunn G fan right to serve during the middle is stuff anytime I'll hear about somebody like a Carson when certain people who are are are focused on the glory of God.

I start your form so I been ensuring for our guest. Since Michigan State glad to have them on family life today with us again and you know my 33 years in the league.

There's very few actually 33 years to come through and understand their role is not just when football games. But the couple we had today understood that from before you get NFL Kirk and Julie cousins are here with us today, quarterback and Minnesota Vikings future Super Bowl winners right here and there, but it's a pleasure to have you here because Kirk you II know you when your little boy and I've always seen this perspective. I remember watching the Big Ten laterally called the preseason little banquet they did in Chicago, I think, and watching your speech because it ended up on YouTube number watching egg on this.

There's no way a young man of 18 years old, has this kind of maturity, but you Artie had it you knew. I'm not just a football player. It's bigger than that God is doing something bigger than just football. How did you know that well.

I think God did position.

As you know, you look back through stories in the Bible and you see how God you know used times of challenge and David's life to then development. He wanted to be when he was king and I think I did the same for me. Whether was through the Christian school I attended what it was through my parents and the way they raise me some of the setbacks he had me experience on the football field.

I think I used all those to prepare me for what was coming down the road there had to be times in high school when being pretty good football player in your high school started.

Go to your head a little bit now he's not humble man. I would say that you should just take them and you have your life says your humble that truth I'm in high school. I didn't play football receivable to my junior year and you know you thing NFL player polio pulled up to the varsity as a sophomore freshman that wasn't my story. So I'm in my very first game my junior year in obscene recruiting junior year is big your senior years, almost too late in the very first quarter of the very first game my junior I get hit on my left side and break my ankle and so I missed most of my junior year I remember driving home from the hospital with a cast on my leg and calling my dad at work to tell and it's broken. I got a cast them out for X number weeks with tears in my eyes and I said that, you know, in addition to missing the joy of playing football this fall.

I probably won't get to play college football. And that's a real disappointment because you gotta get recruited your junior year and my dad said Kirk. First of all you don't know that and second of all you gotta remember. Proverbs 3, five and six trust the Lord with all your heart only on your understanding all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your steps, but it wasn't saying that to mean name and claim it may never see now you're going to be a college quarterback. He was saying God is a plan for your life and if it doesn't involve college football does involve college football, but you trust him to trust him a broken ankle and on so that moment I can't put a stake in the ground said you know what, what choice do I have him and to hold on a par 356 him to trust him and will suit you want to do in my life and you know you get to the end designer scholarship Michigan State go on there you play you get drafted you play nine years Nana fell so far and look back and you say because a lot bigger than a broken ankle anatomy. That's a great perspective for dad to have on II don't I didn't have that perspective.

I wish my first you know when when Cody got done with central Michigan and with the lines of free-agent by weighted central be. You guys I think is your dad in a charity for the size he Cody is through hell you probably are very, but he's in camp with the lines a second season in the general manager comes over to me the day of opening training camp and Cody pulled his hamstring at four times the off-season. He says to me, and we never talk about Cody is a dad. I was the chaplain that he pulls me in the little corner of the building to say you know I should be telling his Cody can make the 53 he's really impressive biloba. Two hours later pulls at him again.

First day of training camp. I literally took the phone and threw it across the wall. She was like sure God what you doing. Instead of going you know traverse me. I will say that Dave took it harder then coat with a Cody can play him in obscene employer because he was a 53 talent level players will thing is your dad's perspective is now yours. Now you live that I mean you have to do it now weekly daily as you go through ups and downs, NFL season.

How do you stay that grounded the tough games happen enough where you realize this is pretty difficult and I don't have a whole lot a reason to be overconfident and I think Julie would attest to that as well. But you also have people around you right here and you're not isolated, so my wife keeps me grounded my siblings.

My parents, you have enough people around you who have known you long enough that they're not all that impressed with you, and I think that's a healthy place to be. To my dad always said Kirk you need to keep big enough people in your life that they're not intimidated by you that they can call you out on your stuff is so it's important where those people are that you keep them in your life where they are comfortable with telling you when you're out of line you got people who aren't impressed with you, who will speak truth to I got one of my boys and I will keep you home. Julie is ever been a time like in his career that we've had to remind Kirk a it's, you know, bring back the perspective that his dad did that day as it is, or ever that timers he always sort of focus will he's always humble, so I never had to be a turning down that area. I think I'm always trying to just kindly send not plaintiff is supposed to be fine playing like Jesus would want you to play. Now he has you playing this game that you love and nothing like Tyson when Sally says pay for an audience of one.

Think and his teammates love when when he has spun up and they are looking to each other, and especially to hand cannot contain just like whatever mood kicks and sell them. Ask about your teammates because not everybody in the locker room shares your faith when you are playing a Christian high school, most of the guys at least they were from families where everybody was a believer, but now worldviews are very different. Morality is very different here.

The team leader is the quarterback. How you manage your faith in the locker room and the players and how you doing well yeah I get this question a lot II think like anybody else at their job. You do your job. You want to do it really well.

You want to shine your light as Julie says. Soon I leave the house many days. Don't shine your light today at work and you want to make sure that you're living out your faith and that you're being bold and sharing your faith and you want to create opportunities for teammates to gather Weatherby a Bible study or a chapel or whatever it may be to gather and pray together and spent time in the word together and invite people and put the ball in their court and then let them decide what they want to do and so I'm not can hit him over the head with a Bible but I'm in a letter know that the Bible is available in an Julie does the same with the women's Bible study and obviously the Wilson's have lived it for 30+ years. So we try to do that and also try to not play football as well as we can. Are there some players who are kind of annoyed by the your faith well. I wish I was bold enough to say yes you no shame on me. Probably for not being more bold in my faith but not think we try to be self-aware enough to be respectful of other people and make sure that that they know you know when were gathering and they're invited but then also put the ball in their court and leave it at that. He using I like the story there is one of the cornerbacks of Kankakee came after them in the practice town one day and he said something like I wanted Bella to come to you with my questions. He was not a believer and I don't need to make a big deal about it by every now and then if I have a question. Iceland, like asking about and I thought that was so cool because he knew that link I can go to Kirk when I feel like at Enoch and rank him right now my throat. He can just answer my question went in my own time is a great opportunity and time know there's a few those conversations, from time to time. I remember one time praying that the Lord would give an opportunity to witness to a specific teammate braided that morning.

That afternoon post practice him sit in the cold tub and who walks in the cold tub at the person I prayed about and it's just me and him and the cult of 10 to 12 minutes depending on how long you and ice your legs and I thought okay you know I prayed for an opportunity and God created quickly. Now I gotta be ready to walk through that door so you break those opportunities and then your sensitive when the Lord intends to bring them up, get ready.

Have you ever had coaches or fellow players who have suggested that your faith is a detriment to your competitiveness. No action. Yeah, I think, is that there can be concern that time spent on anything that is in football is a distraction and that could be still good things, but it's not football and so the key is that you make sure again. You're doing everything you be doing from a football standpoint, you know you can't be, not running the place correctly out in the field and then talk about when writing a Bible study a lot so you gotta take care your business on the field but not asked you know you have the time you have coaches you say you can do Bible study, but it needs to come to be out of sight needs to be out of sight out of mind away from things and you respect that they are not to defy that from your authority figure, so you moved Bible study. Off to the side and you still have Bible study. Do you feel like being a Christian athlete is actually made you better.

Of course, in what way I look back and I don't think I'm going to be playing nine years in the NFL. If I'm not a Christian, I mean football is a grind and it's it's physically tough. It's emotionally tub is mentally tough and Christians are the most physically, mentally, mostly tough people that I know and so it football tends to lend itself well to being a Christian and surviving and lasting in the sport.

Quite frankly, so I think it's been a huge asset for me. I mean the number times I would've given up the fight, and believe that God had a plan and was going to use things for my good. I just walked away and sound need this but I believe the God was using at the gotta brought me to this point for reason he gave me a gift and and I need to steward it and trust him with the rest. That's what kept me going.

I know that of the ghetto of my fifth year with the Detroit Lions as their chaplain, our head coach my first coach Darrell Rogers was fired. Michigan State coach and yes he gets fired after four years and so you know chaplain and not paid by the team and just sorta some like you know Mike and stick with the new guy the new guy was Wayne fonts he never came to chapel had none to do with me. But guess where I sat on the team plane every game. The last four years beside Wayne and so he always said I would look over me like he's is this chaplain you know I will. Cornerbacks were flying home from wherever. And I'm talking football and coverages and why do you do this, etc. what I could tell you like what you you neither you or this religious guy right so he gets the head job calls me in and says hey listen I don't know what you do with the guys we keep doing it. I like you so just keep going right will.

Here's what happens. We start that season. One in seven and I'm doing chapel in one of our players can have his pastor come in right and we have like 40 guys come and have a whole bunch gathering so Sunday morning then you know and I'm talking to Jimmy, our players, a worship pastor like five minutes. He was will be here long story short I go will wince last time talk to him like six weeks ago Mike, he's not. Every year I forgot what you do about it. Sheila saw her walking back and I say to Jim and finally no coaches came to chapel.

Only players so I said to Jimmy, listen I'm good have to wing it.

So listen, get up, would you please and pray and tell them your guide and show up and Dave so they have a lease that idea right so we go sit in the front row. Jimmy gets up, praises here safe doesn't say a word. I get up I turned around the entire coaching staff of 25 sit in the middle of the back just like this, arms folded right in the middle and I Mike they'd never been in automatic my job as an ally right so you know Bob Moses is a preacher. He always could have in season and out of season. You know it. So I pull in at some it's basically a message in a first rate is nine which is basically this idea if you're a follower of Christ. You play harder and better than anybody because your plan for the Lord, not for men right it was this whole thing about when and so surreal, highly motivational right I get done and I said okay. As for me I close my eyes and pray, and I open my eyes. Wayne is the head coach thinning an inch from my face. He had walked up to Freire's sooner look at it because he is what you doing chapel ago. I get when he was also in these coaches are all behind like a good job son. You know what ago they leave. Here's the funny thing, I only like 30. I'm young and I'm like I don't know it's off, here's my find out late and by the way we beat the Packers right so we went but I find out later that week. One of the coaches comes up to me goes hey did you wonder why we all are a chapel like oh yeah what's going on goes well we are in a meeting all the coaching staff and were like why are we losing we have talent were 17.

He was one of the coaches goes you realize that, like the whole team goes to chapel before the games and wings like we talk about using our chapel Sunday morning when the other coaches goes really know what that wasn't. Guys tell baby say to people all the windows were all going to chapel Sunday if it's not good on fire and I got some guy shows up in this moment. Again, you can imagine. We never missed chapel Larissa Debbie was very thorough and again but it was a perspective that I think a lot of people understand what ever you do classes. Three. Do your work heartily as for the Lord), and so whether you're on a football field you're in office. Your stay-at-home mom, your plumber, your doctor, anyone your calling as a follower of Christ. Whether you're an NFL quarterback or not is what bring glory to him by the way you play the way you treat people like her and we people at the office right shift so that's where you guys. I watched you for your entire career. Everywhere you gone and now I know it's not just Kirk, it's a team you have shine the light of God, you, you made his name famous. That's so cool to hear you say that as a freshman right and here you are. Years later still try to do that. But let me ask you is that ever. As Bob said push back against like tone it down, keep it soft.

It's not about that. It's muffled. Was that ever been a problem.

I think it's just about being aware and sensitive and respectful and and I think you know reach out to the opportunities you've been given in and you are sensitive to know who's interested. Who is moving in that direction and can I can't help guide and and share and be a light but the question lasted just as common sense. How could you not know want to provide the chaplain in the chapel and then time for that teammates to bind in that way facets common sense can I please everybody understand that and I watch you guys and as we been talking even earlier. He talked about how Julie moved to Washington he got a job you got a roommate just fight there alone is a big difference because most people moving to new city and their girlfriends move in with them and so I'm sure a lot of the players are like lightweight black what why how I am living with her.

If you have that yes, I just want to encourage those wanting and does the boyfriends and girlfriends and the fiancés that it's not that hard. I did was ask one person I descending on Elaine that need a roommate kick ass is teaming. I think any scenario one second it's awkward and annoying people probably thought it was weird that you weren't living together, but was interesting though you know when you take that leap to move the Washington your need a job, a roommate to make it work, and God provides a job in a room I was trying to get jobs in the city of Atlanta and Washington DC area and I've been in land my entire life and I cannot get a job that I tried for months and had one interview in Virginia and I got the job the next day and that just gave me such a piece because it was crazy for me to move the few states Elaine onto my family had ever really done that. Especially not for technically a boyfriend and sell the fact that I got a job in a roommate. Within days of praying about it. It just really really gave me confidence to know the Lord's plan and had a great roommate and people just don't even think like that and I don't want to. I think I'm judging them by this I want that's best for them in God's best is free to not live together and to be uncomfortable during that time and that will bless you so much more and I think such an awkward thing to share with my friends Kirk come sit there looking at your silicone wedding band that drive this right you wear that the work the I just wear it everywhere so it I cannot undertaking yeah I got a wedding ring and did know about these yet and was always taken when offer practice for a workout for Lily.

Every day was going off and on two or three times and it just wasn't very efficient and so I found these that I could just keep on at all times and so it's on all the time and that means is on during games and practices and lifts and it makes it really easy. There are many players were awaiting them, for now, I don't thinks a lot of players running gloves so if you have it out. It's probably hidden.

That is a quarterback.

I don't have any gloves on, so it shows it does not affect the spiral at all know well know you, you know, we were you're talking about making those tough decisions to walk with God and they spoke to our team in a Bible study once and shared their same boys and men.

You know, in terms of what it means to have spiritual maturity in boys do what feels right. And men do what is right and I just think that was certainly one area of life terms of having purity before marriage is to do what is right now.

What feels right and you know that's just that's not very common these days that how do you maintain now you know you been married two years, six years rights to almost 7 in the NFL honey keep a great marriage in this profession maybe don't have a great marriage. They were fake and helping land is so easy for us and that's probably something in there that's finitely shed like they should be hiring and how he does. Getting a tailback Peck takes the Sabbath every Tuesday and during that season and off-season. That's his day off he took the whole day off from work and he doesn't do anything that is work and he Saturday night a few years ago and that to me is on and then greatest blessings, my marriage, especially during football season, because I know Tuesday's coming. Not that it's all about me on that day is just that it's quality time for for our family for me in hand from him and the boys. He's just reading are just kind of resting and relaxing and doing light recharges hand and some of these days and season are now 1213 hour days, right on Stansell that the fact that Keith is coming. The fact that he does not for our family just really honors me and that really helped her manage. Honestly, there was a learning experience are only talk about everything that your I got bench that and have a Sabbath I was spinning my wheels and that off-season we we heard teaching on it before, but we said you know what, let's take it serious.

It is 10 Commandments.

So many people take the nine seriously, but the Sabbath when we ignore and so we said would actually take 24 hours off and also happen to be that my football play improved when I start taking one day off like God can do more of the six that I can do seven cell tithing only from a plan that takes us out and I was discussing. I don't know a single player at the quarterback position is probably somewhere Tuesday when it's their day off there taken a day off but there still watching film still Emmy again I'm saying is bad, but you really don't work.

People asked me what do I do on the Sabbath and I say is more what I don't do. It's that anything related to work. I don't do so I can go do anything else, but I just try to stay away from work and it honestly more than it is rests its faith because I sit there and I go, Lord, the Packers are, I think I need to be watching the third-down blitz day and I had to sit there and say you know what Lord I want to trust you that you can do more, was six and I can do is seven and so just as much of a resting for me which it is. It's really a faith thing.

I think God sinker.

Do you believe that progress, three, five and six message that you had as a junior in high school you really believe that I'm still going to do that for you or do you have to do it for yourself. And so the journey of faith is not an easy one, and it's not ending anytime soon. God's going to keep us on the journey of faith all the way through life.

You guys have talked the whole time about your faith about your walk with God. It went all the way back to your matchmaker yells heard from God and followed through and talk to talk about that a little bit what is that mean to you to hear from God and until they what he says one thing I'm learning currently in my walk with God is that hearing and responding to his voice is a bigger deal than I realized in my younger years. It's hard to have a dynamic walk with God in a true relationship with God.

If you're not trying to hear from them. Listen to him and then whatever you here to then obey it and respond to it and in the event of our matchmaker. She said God put it on my heart that you two should be set up which he had to put on her heart because it was such an outlandish idea and she had known both of us for 10 years plus and had never mentioned it until she felt okay and she acted on it. So she not only heard the voice of God.

But then she responded to it and will have generations that are blessed as a result of one person hearing and responding to God's voice.

One time, think of what I've missed out on my Christian walk.

All these years because I haven't done a great job of that. And so that's something I want to grow in and you know something we want to grow and Julie had to hear God's voice prayer is that huge thing for me and I'll get a 9 inch are even coming on this radio show. This is totally out of my conference on this is in her deal good at II just as it take the leap of faith by now.

I definitely noticed 19 something you need to pray for our say something to and that's as I grow in my faith. It happens more and more especially officious underage or wet fat. I'm just getting more confident and not feeling their best to invite someone to Bible study or ask them a tough question. I just love the challenge now will you know Bob, maybe you know this Kirk, God speaks in the pews pews PWS even want to guess at this LRA.

I turned it over, but it is interesting when you when you answer? How did you hear the voice of God. It could be audible. I mean that they could do that but I we say the pews people. He often will use a person or EKGs Cooper you know he can use in China can use a neighbor. He condemns anybody pastor events ill close doors open door circumstances word of God.

The open word any speed and spirit again acknowledge your time about prior to the spirit of God. But it's like man.

If we thought he still speaks. He wants us to hear and obey to be likely be a head on a swivel there's a football term that is swivels like housing a speak today when I was in the lead and the big question is will we obey. We do a legacy right could be at stake in and I think when you're in the word regularly, and when you are intending to walk by the spirit regularly so you're you're saying okay Lord, what have you got for me today, recognizing, I think you hear it more often. Yeah. When you're tuned in and when you're distracted and I think that's where we just got all of us. We say how I tune in today. How do you hear on the radio you tuning the radio to get the right station will you tune in to God through his word by saying I Lord what you have for me today and then see what he brings along through people, through events like you said that I would just like say as we close. Thank you, not just for being on this radio podcast but for your commitment.

Your stand is a light that you're not just shining here in Minnesota you're shining across the world and God is using you to make him famous. Thank you for doing that not everybody does that you to command your young and yet you said God. This is about us. This is about you. You've given us his position. We want you to be on her glorified and you're doing it for example that's kind of you to say that I think I need also say thank you to you all, because I drive around Minneapolis in my hometown of Michigan listen to family life and I hear you all on your show and so thanks for your content thanks the difference you're making so many people's lives. And just on my way home from work given me than a nice boost of encouragement from from your words well and truly thanks for stuff on your comfort. You know, really, what do you guys have been sharing with us today is an example of David and what you guys talk about in your book vertical marriage. It's having a God centered, God focused marriage relationship.

It's how marriage was designed to work and I know you guys have read David Anne's book and I think you've seen the videos a lot where hoping that family life today listers.

If you haven't read vertical marriage or if you haven't got together with other couples to go through the small group series the day when I am have done the vertical marriage five-part DVD series information about both of these resources available online that family life to.com.

You can call if you have any questions or if you'd like to order by phone number is one 800 FL today in the website family life to a.com look for information about vertical marriage. Both the book and the small group series or call if you have any questions or if you'd like to order by phone 1-800-358-6329 that's one 800 F as in family L as in life, and then the word today. Finally, as we close out this week.

Our first full week of 20, 21, we once again just want to say thank you to those of you who are not only listers to family life, but those of you who are cheerleaders and supporters and voters. Those of you who voted during the month of December with urine contribution you are making this program available in your community for not just your family. But for your neighbors, your friends, we are together effectively. Developing godly marriages and families. That's the mission here at family life and you're a part of that mission is to support this ongoing work so thank you for your year-end contributions and don't forget I need your ongoing support throughout the year. So thanks for whatever you're able to do here in 2021, and pray for us and for what God has for us for this year. We appreciate you and we hope you have a great weekend. Hope you and your family are able to worship together in your local church this weekend and I hope you can join us back on Monday when working to talk about what is job number one for us as parents to know what that is. Talk about it next week. Hope you can be with us think our engineer today. Keep Lynch along with our entire broadcast production team on behalf of our hosts David and Wilson on Bob Lapine see you back next time for another edition of family life, family life, to a is the production of family life of Little Rock, Arkansas crew ministry help for today hope for tomorrow