Going Pro

I have been weary about starting to write about my journey. I share basically a highlight reel of my life on social media, but I feel the nudge to go deeper. There is also an 8 hour time difference between where I am and America, so I want to be intentional about sharing with family and friends. I have had so many kind words of encouragement and I can feel the peace of the Lord through many of your prayers. So first off- thank you. I seriously have the most amazing support system within my friends, family, and former coaches and teammates. So here I go-

I have been on a journey the last few months- and really the past 4 years. My life started to be flipped upside down when I decided to fully chase after the Lord with my whole being- and soccer became the platform. I love my small town, but when I started to be successful especially later in my high school career, soccer became an idol and quite frankly, my whole identity. I was Olivia- the girl who was good at soccer and had a scholarship to play in college. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it. I felt affirmed, confident, and known for something that I was successful in and passionate about. But that got flipped upside down when I started to fully pursue the Lord my freshman year of college (I’ll share about my collegiate experience one day). I went on a missions trip to El Salvador and was forever changed. My life was a wreck going into the trip- my identity was wrapped in anything and everything but the Lord. I was as superficial as it came when it came to faith. I knew what to say and how to say it, but I didn’t know the Lord. I loved the idea of Him being my Savior- but the being the Lord of my life is different. I was missing the whole other piece.

A weird thing started to happen. I started to walk in the fact that I was a daughter of the Lord, who happened to play some football fairly well. Soccer became freeing, as I knew it can’t define who I was because only God can. That trip to El Salvador opened my eyes to the undefinable joy and peace of God, and my vision became clear. I felt the nudging on my heart that God was calling me to use my passions to pursue Him, and each place in the world seem to show me new aspects of God that seemingly set my soul on fire. I started to meet people who played abroad, and their experiences sparked an interest in my mind that ignited the hope of doing something as courageous as that. As my collegiate career progressed, the once crazy idea of playing after college in a different country became a reality and a goal I started to plan for.

My college career was blessed. In no ways was it perfect, but it was full. I fully and completely invested myself where God had me, and especially lived into that my last two years. I left college exhausted and spent- but it was more than awesome. I loved and served where my feet where, and God anointed and promoted in ways I could not have dreamed. The relationships the Lord blessed me with are far more valuable than any award or championship we won. The day after my last game, I started being contacted with agents. I was overwhelmed with who to trust, what was legit, and attempted to discern the Lord through it all. Nothing felt right for a month, and I was trying tirelessly to find discernment through it all. My time clock was ticking in terms of transfer windows and seasons beginning. I was attempting to navigate it all by myself, making videos, CV’s, and going through contracts. It was overwhelming, and I let it get to me. I was so anxious and unsteady while also grieving the ending of my collegiate career and graduating early. I was being stripped of my comfort and felt so frustrated because for years I had felt like this is what my calling was. I had some poor experiences and was constantly left empty. I had decided that I was just going to pick an agent and go with it. There was in issue with the contract and what they was saying didn’t add up, but I liked the picture that was painted. I had a long phone call and basically was set that I was ready to sign. I got off the phone and felt nauseous and unsteady. I started to feel the answered prayer for discernment I had been seeking. I opened my Bible (the Message version) to Jeremiah 29 without intentions and it said:

10-14 This is God’s Word on the subject: “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out — plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God’s Decree. “I’ll turn things around for you. I’ll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you” — God’s Decree — “bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.”

I felt His presence wash over me. Then, within an hour I received three new agency offers- God was so faithful in this moment!!! The agency he placed in my path who were clear and passionate about growing the women’s game. The aren’t in it for the money, but to help aid and assist in developing a player. They told me things I had been waiting to hear and saw me as a person. God is INTENTIONAL when we hand Him our plans.

It hasn’t been smooth sailing getting where I am going. I talked to 9 different agencies, and had options in 15 different countries to play. A lot of disappointments, hardships, but also excitement in it all. Through it all, I am learning so many valuable lessons, but the three main take aways are:

1. So often, we seek instructions from the Lord. We want a detailed list of what is to come, but most of the time we just need to remember. Remember how good and faithful God is and who He has been in our lives. That is far more comforting seeing the future through the context of His faithfulness of what He has brought us through compared to a list of what is to come.

2. Most of the time, there is no door with a bright, flashing arrow pointing to it. Often, God opens many different doors and allows us to choose. We pick a door, walk through it, and there He is. He is there with open arms- ready to provide and meet us where we are. He will not call where He won’t lead.

3. God has given us the authority to rest in Him when we come to a crossroads. I tried to rush so much of this process, but until I got serious and patient about waiting for the Lord, I was constantly anxious and overwhelmed.

So here we are. I’m in Northern Europe living by myself and getting paid to do what I love. I am thankful for the opportunity to be pushed and challenged not only in my game, but also in my life. It is going to be hard, different, and I know absolutely no one. But, at the end of the day, I have the Lord and He will not call where He will not lead. And I’m more than willing to pursue this- to see His heart in new ways and share my faith with others. It’s all part of the journey, and I get to fully enjoy it! Thanks for reading 🙂