Spiritual Formation | 11/7/2025 12:45:00 PM

Written by: Jada DiVita

When I look back on my college journey, I can clearly see how God has been guiding my steps, even when I didn't fully realize it. I didn't grow up in a deeply religious home, but I had a desire to know God more and to grow in my faith. Choosing a university became the first step in that process. It wasn't just about school or sports—it was about God opening doors for me to encounter Him in ways I never expected. Through both triumphs and trials, especially in my volleyball career, He used every season to teach me that my true identity and worth are found in Him, not in my performance or success.

From the beginning, sports shaped my life. Both of my parents had been collegiate athletes, and as the oldest of three siblings, I wanted to follow in their footsteps. Volleyball became my passion, my identity, and the way I measured my worth. As a freshman, I worked hard, earned a starting position, and loved the thrill of traveling, competing, and proving myself on the court. But very early in the season, everything changed. During a routine warm-up, I landed wrong on my ankle and suffered an injury that took me out for the rest of the year. I can still remember being helped to the training room, overwhelmed with uncertainty. What stands out most from that moment is Klotzy praying over me. He didn't just pray for my ankle—he prayed that I would use this season of struggle to lean into Jesus and His plans for me. That prayer planted a seed in my heart, and I will always remember it.

The recovery was long and hard. Surgery, therapy, and months of pain tested my patience and faith. Sophomore year, I managed to play my only full season of volleyball, but I never felt like the same athlete again. Pain and lingering limitations left me frustrated, and I wrestled with God about why this was happening. Still, He surrounded me with teammates and friends who encouraged me and helped me grow in my relationship with Him.

By junior year, I faced an even greater challenge. Shooting pain down my leg revealed a severe herniated disc and fractures in my spine. Doctors told me the risks of continuing to play could impact me for the rest of my life. I was devastated. Once again, I prayed for healing and begged God to make sense of it all. Slowly, He began to teach me that my identity was not found in volleyball, performance, or success. My worth was in Him alone.
In the summer of my senior year, I returned to the court with a new perspective. For the first time, I wasn't playing to prove myself or to earn approval. Instead, I was playing out of gratitude to God. I wanted to enjoy every moment and use the game as a way to honor Him. But the pain came back stronger, and after complications from my most recent epidural, I knew I had to make one of the hardest decisions of my life—to medically retire from the sport I loved so much.

That decision broke me at first, but it also gave me so much clarity. Through every injury, setback, and moment of pain, God had been preparing me to see that He had a bigger plan for my life beyond volleyball. He showed me that my true worth is not in wins, stats, or championships, but in relationship with Him. He loves me not because of what I achieve, but because of who I am in Him.

Today, I see my journey as a testimony of God's grace. He used my love for volleyball to draw me closer to Him, and He used my injuries to remind me that His plan is greater than mine. I may have stepped off the court, but my faith is stronger than ever. My story isn't about what I lost—it's about what I found in Him. And what I found is that my life, my worth, and my future all belong to God.