ESPN probably wasn’t quite ready for it when the Oklahoma University softball team sat down for a post-game interview after winning the national championships on Thursday.
At one point during the interview, ESPN — famously left-wing and a network that went all-in for so-called “Pride Month” — was confronted with a group of women who credited their Lord and Savior for their joy.
One reporter noted that the team was thrilled to be there on the dais after losing only one game all year and ultimately winning the big game. And he asked how they “keep the joy” of the game.
To that, Grace Lyons replied, “The only way you can have a joy that doesn’t fade away is from the Lord.”
Lyons added that joy from the Lord is the only thing that can keep your joy in life.
“Any other type of joy is actually happiness that comes from circumstances and outcomes. Joy from the Lord is really the only thing that can keep you motivated, in a good mindset no matter the outcomes,” Lyons said. “Thankfully we’ve had a lot of success this year, but if it was the other way around, joy from the Lord is the only thing that can keep you embracing those memories, moments, friendships and all of that. That’s really the only answer to that because there’s no other way that softball can bring you that because of how much failure comes in it and how much of a roller-coaster the game can be.”
Jayda Coleman jumped in, adding, “I one thousand percent agree with Grace Lyons.”
Coleman went on to say that during her freshman year, and her team was winning, she couldn’t sustain any level of joy after the game and added that she never realized true joy until she gave her life to the Lord.
“I was so happy that we won the college world series, but I didn’t feel joy,” Coleman said, adding, “I didn’t know what to do the next day. I didn’t know what to do for that following week. I didn’t feel filled and I had to find Christ in that. I think that is what makes our team so strong is that, we’re not afraid to lose because it’s not the end of the world if we do lose. Yes, obviously we worked our butts off to be here and we want to win. But it’s not the end of the world because our life is in Christ and that’s all that matters.”
Alyssa Brito was up next, and she echoed her teammates and pointed out one of the team’s rallying themes of “eyes up.”
“I think a huge thing that we’ve really just latched on to is ‘eyes up,'” she said, showing how they would often put up their hands toward their eyes and then point up in the sky.
“And you guys see us doing this and pointing up, but we’re really fixing our eyes on Christ. Like they were saying, you can’t find a fulfillment in an outcome whether it’s good or bad. I think that’s why we’re so steady in what we do, in our love for each other and our love for the game because we know this game is giving us the opportunity to glorify God. Once we figured that out and everyone was all in with that, it’s really changed so much for us,” she continued.
“I know myself … once I turned to Jesus and I realized how he had changed my outlook on life, not just softball … but understanding how much I have to live for. That brings so much freedom. No matter the outcome, whether we get a trophy in the end or not, this isn’t our home. We have an eternity of joy with our Father. Yes, I live in the moment, but I know this isn’t my home and no matter what my sisters in Christ will be there with me in the end when we’re with our King,” Brito said.
What a refreshing group of gals here.
An inspiring, winning team with an inspiring winning message: look to the Lord for all things.
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