Where Identity Truly Lies
8/9/2026 4:56:00 PM | Spiritual Formation
Written by: Mickey Ryan
I was speaking recently with a Lipscomb student-athlete who was dealing with an injury. When I asked how I could pray for him—thinking his reply would be something along the lines of getting back on the field soon or coming back even stronger—his answer was completely different.
Without hesitation, he said, "Please pray that I remember to keep my identity as a follower of Christ and not just as a student-athlete."
That struck me as such a profound statement.
It's easy to get caught up in what we do. Whether it's our job, our hobbies, being a coach, or even being a student-athlete, it often becomes second nature to tie those things to our identity. We want to be known for all the things we've done. When we put in the work to be great at something, it's only natural that praise from others can become music to our ears.
For ten years before coming to work at Lipscomb, I hosted a sports talk radio show in Nashville, as well as the Titans' pregame and post game shows. The radio business is a constant grind of trying to capture and keep the attention of listeners, and I was endlessly caught up in trying to say the perfect thing, tweet something engaging, or articulate my thoughts in a way others would find interesting. When things were going well, it was the type of business that could really feed your ego—no matter how much you tried to fight it.
One of the main reasons I left sports broadcasting is because I felt God truly asking me, "Are you my servant first…or are you the guy who is all about being on the radio?" It felt like He was directly asking me that question, and I couldn't hide from the answer, no matter how hard I tried.
So, I took a leap of faith and walked away.
I kept thinking of the old hymn, "Wherever He Leads, I'll Go," and He led me here to Lipscomb. From speaking at devotionals to mentoring students to writing this article, I've done my best to say yes to God since arriving on this campus a year and a half ago. In doing so, I have been profoundly blessed.
Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Think about that! We are the handiwork of the one true God! We were created to do the work He prepared for us to do! Imagine standing before God one day and hearing the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
The things of this world—including what we do and what we accomplish—will fade over time. 1 John 2:15 even says, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." How we feel about ourselves—and how others feel about us—can change from day to day or even hour to hour, but how God feels about us never changes.
His unconditional love will never leave us.
I was speaking recently with a Lipscomb student-athlete who was dealing with an injury. When I asked how I could pray for him—thinking his reply would be something along the lines of getting back on the field soon or coming back even stronger—his answer was completely different.
Without hesitation, he said, "Please pray that I remember to keep my identity as a follower of Christ and not just as a student-athlete."
That struck me as such a profound statement.
It's easy to get caught up in what we do. Whether it's our job, our hobbies, being a coach, or even being a student-athlete, it often becomes second nature to tie those things to our identity. We want to be known for all the things we've done. When we put in the work to be great at something, it's only natural that praise from others can become music to our ears.
For ten years before coming to work at Lipscomb, I hosted a sports talk radio show in Nashville, as well as the Titans' pregame and post game shows. The radio business is a constant grind of trying to capture and keep the attention of listeners, and I was endlessly caught up in trying to say the perfect thing, tweet something engaging, or articulate my thoughts in a way others would find interesting. When things were going well, it was the type of business that could really feed your ego—no matter how much you tried to fight it.
One of the main reasons I left sports broadcasting is because I felt God truly asking me, "Are you my servant first…or are you the guy who is all about being on the radio?" It felt like He was directly asking me that question, and I couldn't hide from the answer, no matter how hard I tried.
So, I took a leap of faith and walked away.
I kept thinking of the old hymn, "Wherever He Leads, I'll Go," and He led me here to Lipscomb. From speaking at devotionals to mentoring students to writing this article, I've done my best to say yes to God since arriving on this campus a year and a half ago. In doing so, I have been profoundly blessed.
Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Think about that! We are the handiwork of the one true God! We were created to do the work He prepared for us to do! Imagine standing before God one day and hearing the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
The things of this world—including what we do and what we accomplish—will fade over time. 1 John 2:15 even says, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." How we feel about ourselves—and how others feel about us—can change from day to day or even hour to hour, but how God feels about us never changes.
His unconditional love will never leave us.
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