Leaning on Faith When Times Get Tough

LUCCA KENYON

SPECIAL TO THE CATHOLIC HERALD

Growing up, my parents instilled the importance of faith in my siblings and me, not just through their words, but more so through their actions. I witnessed them weave their Catholic faith into every aspect of their lives, allowing God to play an active role on a daily basis. Inspired by their example, I aimed to follow in their footsteps in my own life, especially in terms of athletics. For a long time, I struggled to see how faith could intertwine with sports, until I began seeking God amidst my anxieties, struggles and successes in athletics.

Entering my freshman golf season at St. Norbert College, I was overwhelmed by the unfamiliar collegiate-level play. My anxiety over this new challenge prevented me from playing to my full potential. Regardless of the countless hours I dedicated toward practice, my scores were failing to reflect my skill. After analyzing the situation and wanting to find a solution, I recognized the need for a shift in mentality. I began to shift my mentality by going back to the basics, remembering who I was, what I stood for and what I believed in. All these reflecting prompts led me back to my faith. I had witnessed my parents lean into their faith when challenges were presented, so I strove to do the same.

In efforts to shift my mindset, I created a pretournament routine of reading Bible verses during the bus rides to tournaments. I thought this would be beneficial because I had once been told it is difficult to shift your mindset, as you cannot tell yourself, “Do not focus on this,” but rather, it is more effective to replace it with a better habit to redirect your energy. I could not think of a better way to replace my anxieties than by reading Bible verses. This pretournament routine was the start of my mindset shift, as it allowed me to think about something greater than myself and something greater than golf.

This practice helped me focus on God and put athletics into perspective. I began to see that playing sports at the collegiate level is a privilege, not something to become extremely anxious over. Collegiate-level play soon became an opportunity to appreciate the gift of practice, to build relationships with teammates and opponents, and to play to the best of my ability. This new routine proved beneficial, as my scores began to reflect both my improved mindset and the hours I invested in practice.

While my scores did not always improve consistently, over time I became satisfied with the outcomes. On the course, when I approached a difficult hole, I would still find myself getting anxious, almost to the point of not being able to continue. However, I would constantly remind myself that it is an opportunity and blessing I have been given to be on the course with teammates who became family and opponents who became friends.

To me, golf mirrors life itself. Each hole presents a new challenge and opportunity, dependent on how I execute my swing and adapt to the outcomes. Much like in life, we must navigate each situation with action, adjusting to the consequences or giving thanks for the blessings that follow. As I continue to grow in my faith and encounter more experiences in life, I plan to cast my anxieties on God, and live with trust in his plan.

Lucca Kenyon is the events and communications coordinator for the Office of World Mission/Society for the Propagation of the Faith for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.