Football Sunday 2026 | Zavier & McKenna Scott

The knee injury is when I felt God met me at the lowest point of my life. I was Xavier the football player my whole life. That's who I was. That was my identity. And then when that knee injury happened, going from starting early in the season to fumbling and playing less throughout the season to a knee injury, I just really was in an identity crisis and I was searching in all the wrong areas. I was looking for women, for weed, and things that just weren't filling that void. Xavier and McKenna, let's put it up again. Let's go. So excited about having you guys here, Super Bowl Sunday. We don't take it lightly that you've come all this way, so we're honored you're here. The important question to the both of you, who do you have for the Super Bowl today? Who are you cheering for? Which I know is complicated as the Minnesota Vikings. It hurts. Have you ever met one of their quarterbacks before? Yeah, the Seahawks. I can't remember his name. The quarterback is, he's a friend of mine. I heard he's not very good. He's amazing. It's great. Xavier's like, I can't respond. Yeah, I got to go for the Seahawks today. That's who I'm rooting for today. Just for Sam Bowne, mainly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There we go. McKenna, the same for you? Yeah, we're cheering for Sam. It's a little cringey, but we're cheering for him. I love that. I love that. Well, again, just honored that you guys are here. I want to hop into your story. If you'd be willing to give us the CliffsNotes version of how you got where you are. And Xavier, I'll start with you. It is anything but a straight line to you going to the Minnesota Vikings. If you just want to share the CliffsNotes version of that story. Yeah. So I grew up a military kid and there's been, with that you move a lot. So I was born in Texas, moved from there to Tennessee, to Kentucky, to Virginia, which is where I broke my arm when I was in Virginia my last year or my sophomore year of high school, moved to Germany. And from there I graduated high school and then went to University of Connecticut. From Connecticut, I tore my knee up, transferred to University of Maine, and then went to Indianapolis Colts as their practice squad, was with the Vikings practice squad the year after. And then this past year, active roster with the Vikings. Yeah, that's crazy. That's crazy. Yeah, seriously. And McKenna, I keep saying it, like, it's hard to one-up that. I think you might be able to, which is insane. You guys are a power couple. Before we hear that, I want to have you watch this video. Check this out.

And unfortunately, the 55 of McKenna Hassey-Scott made significant contact. And we unfortunately just got caught up in a wreck. There was just nowhere to go, but really happy overall with the night. And now we're going to drive a couple hours to catch a flight. So, not a dull 24 hours right there. No, it's been a pretty cool ride just in general through racing and everything. And that was just like a little piece of it. So, yeah, I love that. I love that. So, your path, like, if you want to give us that story, like, and it's crazy. Even between services, I'm like, I cannot believe God's journey for both of you. Yeah, it's been really great. I don't come from a racing family. I grew up in a small town in Iowa, big ball sport family. So, just was never really around racing. And we went on vacation when I was a kid. And I was nine years old. We went to a dinner in a shopping mall in Nashville, Tennessee. And there was a very famous NASCAR driver signing autographs in the middle of the mall. So I wandered over to see what all the hype was about and they told me it was over, so I left. But the NASCAR driver saw me and followed me and stopped, you know, thinking I didn't get an autograph. And we got to talking and he asked where I was from. And when I said Iowa, he said, oh, you must go to Knoxville Raceway a lot. And I didn't know what that was, but it turns out it's Sprint Car Capital of the World. And so for sprint racing, it's kind of like, you know, the biggest, fastest, baddest track you can find. And so I started going to Knoxville to watch the races there, started going to NASCAR races as well, and just fell in love with the sport and wanted to do it. But, you know, of course had to kind of

go through that process. And so I saved up my money and started my team when I was 12 with $800 cash and had no intent of being any good, just started at the very lowest level possible. But I ended up winning and getting some funding to move up to the next level. And that pattern just kind of kept repeating and finally made it to sprint cars when I was 17, started racing in Knoxville and went on to be the first female to win there and moved up to the, throughout the divisions from 360 to 410, which is the highest level of sprint cars. And I raced at that level for the last six years and then was in a really horrific crash and switched over to the stock car in 2025, which is what you saw in the video, so. Crazy, that's unbelievable. What I want to highlight, yeah, we can put it up. First woman ever to win that. I mean, I would probably have a t-shirt made if I was you. There's a reason that I don't have any like rad successes because the Lord would be like, you can't handle it. You wouldn't be able to handle it. But what I want to highlight, neither of you had it handed to you. I always think it's easier, we do this all the time. Someone has a business, well, it was given to them. Oh, of course he's in the NFL, of course. And he's like, no, what you don't see is all the hard work.

Rarely is there an overnight success. Instead it's that combination of God's kindness and his faithfulness. And then just that determination every single day. I mean, to scrounge that money together, to do this, to come back after an injury, I think it's so powerful. And McKenna, like your parents, were they like, was that their dream that you'd be a race car driver? No, they actually grew up, not really grew up, but they had been to sprint races before I was born. And so they kind of knew what it entailed. And I think they kind of thought I didn't know, just being a young girl. So they were definitely not for it, but they ended up coming on and being supportive, you know, once I went out and started doing it, but they were definitely nervous pretty much all the way through, so. Yeah, yeah. Something I want to add, the two of you, how'd you meet? I know that question's been asked to you a bunch. She tells it better than I do, so. Basically the Cliff Notes version is, after my second time I was on American Ninja Warrior, I was hit by a careless driver on the interstate and had to step away from Ninja and joined a regular gym and the owner trained pro football players. And he ended up without telling me, put me in the group of pro football players to train with them.

So I ended up doing that for about a year and a half and then got invited to church by the trainer who also trained him in a separate category. And we met at church. That's crazy. Even getting asked, you don't know it's a bunch of NFL athletes. I would feel horrible about myself. I'd be there, I'd be like, why am I so with their NFL athletes? Okay. Yeah, I was mortified. I wanted to leave right away. It's great. Okay, before we get to the face side of your story, I know this is a super personal video, Xavier. Let's check this out. This is Tell Us Who Will Tell Us, presented by U.S. Bank. And today we're asking my teammates to tell us their first email or social media handle that they can remember. My email was like jjustin26 at yahoo.com. That yahoo, y'all know. That yahoo. Hey, you on Insta at yahoo. You know you was doing something. Is that Hotmail or that yahoo? Yahoo. InfinityMoney81. Infinity.

I have my, it was my YouTube channel. I had the, my background. I had the toilet, you know that toilet paper with the money? I already know what toilet paper is. That was my icon picture. Infinity. InfinityMoney81, and the background was just tonics. Why 81? Just a random number? Oh, random is all right. Somebody probably had the first 80. InfinityMoney, baby, we love that. InfinityMoney81. Y'all like that one. I thought it was great. 12-year-old Zay, that was perfect for me. And it was like toilet paper that was money? Yeah, there's like a toilet paper roll that was instead of toilet paper, it was just $100 bills. I was like, that looks so cool. I love it. I love it. She has a better one than I do, though. I don't know if it was yours. My first email, weberdude at hotmail.com. So that's mine. What was yours? Mine was, let's see if you remember AOL.

There was KOL. It was kids online. So my email was hiphopnforces at kol.com. And you're from Iowa. I love everything about that. That's great. That's great, that's so good. Okay, faith-wise, your journey, what does that look like? Was Jesus a part of it from the beginning? Is there one or two pivotal moments that you can really look back on? And McKenna, I'll ask you first, what that journey has looked like for you? Yeah, so we grew up going to church off and on throughout my childhood. And then, like I said, big ball sport family. So when I was in middle school, high school, we didn't go quite as much. But from the time I was little, my parents would pray with us every night. So that was just something that was always consistent throughout my upbringing. And I just kind of grew in my relationship with God through prayer every day. But I wasn't completely, fully, actively walking with the Lord. And when I was 12 and bought my first race car, there was a prayer written on the inside of the car from the previous driver. And so I started just reciting that prayer

every single time. And I like to joke, if you get in a race car and don't start praying, there's probably something wrong with you. So it kind of forces you to start praying pretty quickly. And so I kind of started it. And then right out of the gate, early in my career, I was 13 and had this massive crash, flipped all the way down the front stretch, passing for the lead. And I actually lost my helmet in the crash. So it like flew out as I was flipping. And after that crash, I had this vision, just this like vivid memory of Jesus like sitting in the cockpit of the car, holding me with his hands over my head when the helmet went out. And so that was just something that made it really clear like that God is with me through my racing journey. I honestly wanted to quit after that, I almost did. And that was in 2010. So thankfully I didn't quit and kept going, but it was just kind of right out of the gate. And then from there, when I went to college, I joined a campus ministry group called the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. And that just really sparked my faith even further, just because through that ministry, I learned what God is really calling us to from a purpose perspective.

And sprint car racing is very dangerous. I've actually lost some of my competitors doing it. And so from a young age, death is kind of like right in front of your faith base and just how fragile life can be. And so when my ministry leader just told me about like how God is calling us to lead other people to the kingdom, like it just made things on earth seem so much smaller. And you think about like the NFL and if you're into football and any of the NFL teams were to say to you like, we need you, you would go running. And if NASCAR, you know, any of the top team owners call you and say, we need you, like you're gonna go running, whatever it is you're passionate about in life. If the top person says they need you, like, you know, that's what you're gonna do. And the reality is for all of us, the creator of the universe is calling us that and the creator of us to help lead people to heaven, which is like so much greater than any of those sports and such an incredible calling. And for me, it changed my whole perspective on like, wow, like he's calling me to help, you know, with that. And that's so important. So from then on out, it just kind of became, you know, just kind of my main focus in racing is like, what does it look like to put God first in that?

And the verse that's on my race car and all of my t-shirts and everything is Acts 20, 24. And it says, my life is worth nothing to me. My only aim is to finish the race. And what is the race? I'm blanking, ignore me. Look it up, sorry. I got nervous and forgot. Finish the race set before me. Yeah, and complete the task the Lord has given me, the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace. That's how it finishes. But basically like the beginning is kind of one of my favorite parts about like, your life is important, but the greater purpose is calling people to Christ. I love that. Yeah, and Xavier, same question for you, faith journey. And I know for you, it was at a rock bottom moment that God got ahold of you. Yeah, yeah, I really am grateful for my parents kind of in the way they taught me. My mom taught me love and my dad taught me humility. We didn't go to church though. So I grew up, we would go very rarely. And it wasn't until I was in college, I was seeing other teammates faith. I was seeing them pray. I was seeing them read their Bibles. That's when I started just getting more curious

and seeing, okay, what is this all about? But I grew up with like a reverence of God. I wouldn't, I didn't want to say, oh my God, I wouldn't want to say the Lord's name in vain. But I saw him as my savior, but I didn't really invite him in to be my Lord, to lead me in life. And that led to me making wrong decisions as I was going through college. And then the knee injuries, when I felt God met me at the lowest point in my life, I was Xavier, the football player my whole life. That's who I was, that was my identity. And then when that knee injury happened, going from starting early in the season to fumbling and playing less throughout the season to a knee injury, I just really was in an identity crisis and I was searching in all the wrong areas. I was looking for women, for weed, and like things that just weren't filling that void, but I was seeking. And it wasn't helpful to me at all. And even in that time, that was where I was looking for. And then I ended up in those low moments, I found, I ended up transferring to Maine, emotional decision after the knee injury, after not playing. And once I was at Maine, a friend invited me to church and I start going and we had a team chaplain in Maine too. I start just hanging out with them,

being vulnerable with them, sharing these same things I just shared with you guys. And him just embracing me within that, hugging me, loving me through it. And we cried together. And it was just, it was a time where I was just so lost, but he just loved me in that. And I ended up at that church in Maine getting baptized. And he was there on the front row, like a loving grandfather, loving dad, just there clapping, smiling. And cause he knew, he saw this moment before it ever came. And it just means so much that somebody was able to pour into me in that moment, in that low point in my life. And then ultimately that being Jesus, he was just the vessel. And growing closer with the Lord from there, started serving and just wherever I was, I was going from different churches cause football was taking me different places, but I was just finding a way to serve whether that be mowing yards on the parking team, whatever it was, I was just trying to just grow close to the Lord in that way. And through all that, God's just been, he's just been so good. And it's just, it's a blessing. That's incredible.

You didn't mention the one thing. We actually need more parking volunteers. Yeah, I'll jump out there after the service. One of the parking volunteers between the first two services, he said, it's rough out there. It's rough out there. So be nice out there in the parking lot at all three campuses. I kind of don't know what's going on when I'm out there. I don't know how to like direct people. I just smile and greet people. They call us frontline greeters in Minneapolis. Oh yeah, I like that. I like that. Yeah. And even like the both of you it's, I mean, they're the real deal. Like I just faith-wise. And Xavier, even I found this out last week. He just started going to seminary. One of the best seminaries on the planet, by the way. Yeah. You're going to seminary now in the off season, leading a, I know you lead a Bible study. Even a couple of weeks ago, we did the Be a Man series. And one of the challenges was to pour into younger men. After the service that day, Xavier texted me and said, hey, thanks for the challenge.

There's been a young adult in my life that I know I'm supposed to be pouring into. And I just needed the nudge. Like, and that's true of the both of you. Like, yeah. Anything you want to share about any of that? Yeah. I just, my goal is to answer the calls that God's put on my life. Similar to what McKenna was sharing about purpose. And I've noticed that our purpose is bigger than what we do. And our identity is bigger than what we do. My identity being in Jesus, that really transformed my life from the inside out. And I was able to, I've been able to see people transformed and the joy that comes with that, the love that comes with that, and the beauty that comes with that. And then that just makes me want to just keep doing that, keep giving that gift to other people because God's given us that gift. And that's led to the seminary journey that I'm just trying to learn how to lead in a way that God's called me to lead and being able to answer questions about my faith when asked and also lead other men and lead other people like you guys have been doing a good job of. And it's just, I feel like that's the call of us all to be a disciple and make disciples, so.

Yeah. That's just awesome. Last quick question about church. I know you've watched online Embrace. Is it because I'm athletic? Is that why? Is it my sleeve? Like what? I'd say it's the biceps, the ball dome, and also the joy, the joy and the kindness. I'm so nimble and athletic and mobile, so I didn't know if it was just that. I was an inspiration maybe to you when you were playing. Okay, well stop. Signing star. Okay, so I want to show this clip. You quote your mom, which I think is so good. So let's check out this video. Yeah, your upbringing is unlike, I think, any player on this roster. Moving overseas before your junior year of high school, which is such an important time if you want to play ball at the next level, right? How did you navigate playing overseas in Germany while knowing that you wanted to go back to the United States to play college ball? My mom really helped me in that time and helped ease my mind. Like if God has this for you, it's going to happen. And moving to Germany is not going to stop that.

And managing it over there, I was just being where my feet were. I wasn't intentionally being where my feet were, but that's just kind of who I am, how I was raised. Don't sleep on this guy. I mean, this guy has a nice balance between power and speed, 6'1", 220s, and he can fly. That last part, you flexing. Yeah, I had to show it off. I need a video like that of my. Myself, I don't know, they can like AI it a little bit. Start recording right here. Go to right now. So the one quote that you your mom said if God has this for you, it's going to happen. Yeah, and again football is your thing. And then you go to Germany of all places. You might as well move to the moon if you want to make D1 football in the States. What did that mean for you when she said that to you and for anybody here right now who's at that place of feeling unseen or it's like what am I doing? Like what would you say to that person? Yeah, first I was what that meant to me was it just showed me that there's some hope there's some light at the end of the tunnel. I saw it was impossible. I was like if we're moving to Germany, I'm not going to be able to play college football let alone the NFL. It's not going to happen.

I just had zero belief. There was it was just darkness. I saw no possibility. No hope at the end. My mom sharing that with me. Let me know that there there's a glimmer of hope and it's and it was far hours. I was really far from it at the time, but it just gave me something to shoot towards and to strive towards and as I got older as I got closer to that, I just saw how much more and more possible. It could be just by taking those steps in the way and there were trials throughout the throughout that that journey going closer to that that light that hope that was that it was possible that God can he can do the impossible seemingly impossible. I should say and as I got closer just came up more and more possible and I just I just saw his goodness through it his transformation in my heart to prepare me for it and the test they were preparing me for the next test and then I was I was coming into it with a with a a lot of a lot of history with God in a good way that he's done. He's done some great things and that's that's helped me a ton throughout that you mentioned at one of the first services like you trust God one moment the next moment you don't and even for me like it almost feels like an emotional roller coaster and just to be transparent. I feel like that's where I've been this week. Yeah, I'm pursuing something big that I feel like God has in front of me and yet one moment.

I'm like Lord, you're going to do this the next moment. Like there's no way any advice to getting off of the emotional roller coaster. Like when you're just like you feel like you're crazy. Like I trust you. I don't I trust you. I don't yeah, I'll first say it's normal, right? We all experience that in our own ways and it's something I've even experienced recently in seminary. Like we had to get to make 25 observations on one verse. I'm like it has 17 words. How are you going to get 25 observations from that and then the next week we had to do 25 more observations and I'm like this is insane. So in but in that I was able to I was able to pray and see that God you've done this before I see that you helped me the first week you helped me come up with the 17th one the 18th one the 19th one like just little by little but even bigger than that. I know it was a practice of old in the Old Testament that you would see Kings they would have their victories that the Lord has brought delivered them through and from and they would have it etched on their staffs. That would be something they remember when they're and going against the next test the next trial and that's something I've done in my own life. I've written down in the back of my journal the things that God has brought me through and that he's delivered me from these things that were hurting me harming me. I'm I'm away from that now the things the Giants that I didn't see possible to ever overcome having those remembered and

writing them down and then bringing them back to memory. They it helps you when you're in you're coming against another giant and it doesn't make it easier necessarily, but it just it you realize how much bigger you God is our God is bigger than the problem. We're coming against that's so good. And I honestly I told you this like that challenged me like to do that. So I would encourage you if you are struggling to trust God start writing down and if you're new to it think about over the last year over the last three years, how is God come through for you? Like what are those things like those opportunities that time you provided write it down and then moving ahead like have a journal where you just write down the faithfulness of God and when you're on that motion roller coaster pull it out and read it like just like, oh my gosh, even McKenna was preaching at me in the best way between services this last time I was telling her what I've been wrestling with and you were just like Bam Bam Bam. So I think that's so good Xavier. I want to brag on you. Let's check out this this clip. Wentz will step up and throw to the end zone. It's a touchdown Xavier Scott. Can we put it up? I love it. I love it. You look like Jamar Chase in the back. Yeah, that's Tony Totak right there.

I love that one. Don't touch him back there. Yeah, those feet. They're so nimble. Yeah, God's giving me the ability. I could do it all. He's blessed me. He's blessed me. No, were you were you thinking the balls coming your way? How did you feel in that moment? First NFL touchdown has to just be like, are you? You kidding me? To even think back to you, the year where you fumbled and you blew out your knee. Like, it's just like, what is, God, you're so awesome. It's just, it's unreal. Like, looking back, it didn't seem possible, but that was the light at the end of the tunnel that I was looking at. But in the moment, I didn't know, I didn't know I was getting the ball. There's, it's not necessarily designed for me. I was just kind of just out there, you know, but I ended up getting open and I threw my hand up and I'm like, is this play still going on? Like, everything was quiet and I'm in the end zone. I'm like, okay, now I'm definitely way too far out of the end zone. I'm back and then like, the ball comes to me. I'm like, am I still in?

And then I'm like, I'm literally at, like, these are like going through my head and like fast. And as I catch the ball, I'm just like, I feel like I'm way out of the end zone, but whatever. I put my feet down and sure enough, I was, I was in, everything was quiet and I'm like, did I score? And then like, and sure enough, I did. And I was just, I just gave God the glory because it was just like, what an honor. And like, it just, after all that he's brought me through just to have that moment, it was special. And looking back on it is where I really find that, that joy in it. And the time I'm just trying to win a football game, you know, we're just, we were trying to win. We're all competitors at the end of the day, so. I love it. And I think this is my favorite part of the story because McKenna, you're there. So tell us about this part. I was up in the stands and like mid fight with the Steelers fans. Cause the guys in front of us had the terrible towels and I like to film everything he does, which is kind of lame because TV's filming, but whatever. And they were like waving their towel, like right in my face. So when that happened, I actually grabbed the guy's towel in front of me with one hand and I was like filming with the other.

And then he, he, he got the touchdown, but it was a Steelers home game, even though we were overseas. So there was like so many Steelers fans compared to the Vikings fans. And they really didn't have much for technology. So like at US Bank, they let off fireworks and it's really cool. And somebody gets a touchdown and in Dublin, Ireland, it was just like dead silent. And then the announcer came on and just said, touchdown, Xavier Scott. That was the only way we even knew it was a touchdown. And I like golf clapped and it was really awkward. So it was cool to watch the replay. The Steelers fans probably like, who is this stalker lady? So intense about this video. Yeah, the guy in front was from Ireland. He just kind of picked a random team to, to cheer for. And he turned around and he's like, do you know who got that touchdown? And I was like, yeah, sort of. So. I know him, I know him. I love that. Mention, mention the Bears game this year. I just thought that was really powerful too. Someone brought up the Bears game to you. The end of that game was brutal.

As bad as that one hurt and how much that would have changed the season. Yes, I will say that there was a, God definitely came through in that moment. I was just praying that his will would be done. We were up 19-17. I don't know how many of you guys watched it with like 50 seconds to go. And we're, we're, we're not sealing the deal just yet. Like there's still a game to play, right? You got to finish it as clocks to the clock at zero, but we kicked the ball off and they make a, they have a big return, which puts them in pretty close to field goal range. And they ended up getting probably about 10, 15 yards, which puts them in field goal range. They kicked the field goal to, to win the game. And I feel like God answered my prayer that his will would be done in seeing the kicker give God glory after he was pointing up. And then in his interviews, he was giving Jesus the glory, which it just was able to give me like a peace about it. Yeah, it sucked. It hurt. We're all competitors. We want to win, but we see that the King won in the end. And I think there's something so special

about that in that moment. I love that. I love that. CJ and Steph, I know they've meant so much to you. Check out this video. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, oh, oh. Hey, I'm Bryce. It's Steph and CJ now. We're sitting here in sunny San Francisco. It's nice and warm, but we wish we could be there with you all. Yeah, and I think you guys are in for a huge treat this morning. Xavier and McKenna have been great friends with us over the past two years, and you see Jesus all over their life. Their love for Jesus is undeniable, both in their individual relationship and together as a couple. We lean on them for guidance, for wisdom. Them being a younger couple, they still exemplify a very mature relationship with Jesus, and we love them for that. And Xavier and McKenna, you guys mean more to us than we can even express with words. So embrace, enjoy this morning. God bless. Hey, no, don't do it.

I love you, man. From day one, bro. I love you, bro. Really do, man. I'm proud of you, dog. Everything I told you, I truly mean it from the bottom of my heart, dog. We lost to him, bro. We lost to him, bro. CJ and Steph are incredible. Yeah. Xavier just said to me it's it's CJ's big day and there he is like encouraging me and speaking to me and whatever. That's just who he is though he's someone who's such a humble man at heart and him and Steph both they mean so much to the both of us and yeah if you couldn't tell from the video they they're they're special to us. Yeah and I know the same for you too McKenna like what have they meant to you guys and what's that been like? Yeah so CJ and Steph actually met us right before we started dating so they've kind of seen our whole process of dating engagement and then they were at our wedding and so just really special for their support throughout that time and and then just you know being with them on the Vikings like we kind of came in at the tail end of CJ's career but we're just so blessed that we got to experience a sliver of it because the example they've set for us is just really special because in the NFL there's kind of like a you know sort of expectation sometimes of like what you should look like or what you should spend financially or how you should dress or whatever and they kind of break the mold with that and a big part of that's obviously their faith you know behind that and so for us it's just really refreshing to be able to have that example set before us of like you know it's okay to be modest and it's okay to put God first in this space and like be proud of that so that's just been a really big blessing. That's so

cool and just to share like the NFL wives and girlfriends are a lot of like usually very dolled up and then I love seeing Steph Hammond or a hoodie I'm like of course you're just wearing a hoodie and you said that you showed up one time from racing still in your shirt that quick. Yeah the the video of me when I was wearing like the Interstate Batteries t-shirt one week I like long story short got delayed going to the game so I showed up wearing that exact outfit with an Interstate Batteries shirt at a Vikings football game so we were probably confused but it was like this is this is us. Yeah and really quick if you want to share even the first time you met CJ Xavier and then just even the difference of like racing world versus NFL world I think that's powerful. Yeah so the first way when I first met CJ was through Instagram he he followed me I followed him and then I reached out to him I'm a rookie at this point he's like a seven or eight year vet and he followed me I'm like this is cool now's my chance I'm gonna reach out ask him some is he have some tips for me blah blah he reads it and never responds to me and end up we end up seeing him at the conference and I was like he's a busy man though I didn't really expect anything of it like I we joke about it now but we meet him at the conference and then he was just such a cool dude and this is when I'm still with the Colts and later that year we go we end up coming to the Vikings and my prayer was that CJ would take me under his wing just I saw how he was as a man as a leader from from afar from Instagram from hearing from people that and that was really all I knew and and sure enough God answered that prayer he CJ took me under his wing he was coaching me up on the field off the field and like he's saying that how much we've poured into them like I really feel like it's the other way around but it's just it's such an honor to have someone like that in my life two-time Walter Payton man of the year for a reason like just on the field off the field he just shows Jesus everywhere he goes so such an honor to hear that from from him and just to be be around someone like that I love that and the difference of culture racing world versus NFL yeah and in racing and like specifically the form of racing I've

been in the most there's not a it's not a largely faith-based community like obviously there's always some believers but for me it was kind of hard to have those people to look to when I was coming up through my career of you know how did this person handle this situation as a Christian and so that just was a big challenge for me and I always wanted to try to be that light for younger drivers but coming to the NFL you know it is a pretty faith-based community and they have a lot of programs for you know Chapel and Bible studies and different things like that and one of the ones that we're a part of is for all 32 teams and we go to one event a year together and so you have representatives from every team worshipping together and every time it kind of brings me to tears just seeing that setting and just every time I leave a Bible study with the Vikings or whatever I always think to myself like man I wish people could see this you know because sometimes what people see in the media and even just about like family culture in the NFL it's not necessarily reality and even just when you know the guys have a tough game or a tough performance and we just see it through such a different lens versus the comments that people write sometimes online or whatnot and so that can be kind of hurtful but then when you see behind the scenes like what God's actually doing and like the greater purpose I'm like man I wish people could see this and like see you know the the bigger purpose here so yeah I love that so much but I would just lay out a challenge if your workplace doesn't have a faith person it's you it's you and lean into that pray about how that looks make sure your your words match your life as well, don't be the faith person who's just loud and obnoxious, but start with you. And even if there's one other person in the office that you can start praying with once a week, it's amazing what one person can do for even a culture at workplace, at whatever it might be. So I just want to challenge you with that before we get to

our last question. I want to mention really quickly, if you're with us for one of your first few times, I just want to invite you to come back again. God's doing something really, really special right now in our church, and we'd just love to have you be a part of it. Next week, specifically, we're starting up a brand new series going through the book of James, which is one of my all-time favorite books of the Bible. It's super practical. If you've struggled to understand the Bible and how to apply it to your life, this is one of those books where it's just like, you can immediately apply it to your life. So if you're new to Jesus, if you're new to the Bible, you're like, I really have always struggled with it, but I want to find out more. Come join us next week. We're giving out a whole bunch of copies of this that we'd love to get into your hands. And so I just wanted to personally invite you to come back. Last question that I have, if someone's here and they want to start a relationship with Jesus, they're like, gosh, I didn't expect it. I just came because I'm a Vikings fan, but I'm curious about Jesus. What would you say to them? Like, what should they, what would you say? Yeah, I would start by, if it was a friend asking me, I would ask them, how do you perceive Jesus? Who is he to you?

And this reminded me of Matthew 16, when Simon, Peter, and Jesus are talking, and he's like, the people say you're this, they say you're that. And then Jesus asked Simon, who do you say I am? And that just shows so much power. He says, you are the Messiah, the Lord. And that ended up showing in Peter's actions. Yeah, they weren't perfect, but it ended up changing that man. And it would start with the perception and just saw a little testimony to the power of perception. I remember I was getting to like an argument with my friend, and he was, he was, he would have died on the hill that all even houses are on the right, all odd houses are on the left. Their numbers are always even if they're on the right, always odd if they're on the left. And I'm like, okay, if you're driving that way, yeah, that makes sense. But what if you're driving the other direction? He would have died on that hill. He's like, Derek, that's not a thing. And then we ended up, we ended up finding out that he was, he was born in Chicago, and his perception was they're all one way streets. So anytime you're driving, evens are on the right, odds are on the left. That just shows the, obviously the power of perception. But within that, our perception of Jesus will flow into our actions. Like, how do we, are we thinking he's just a guy from 2,000 years ago, or is he a loving father, a friend, someone who's

helping us through the trials of life, who's walking with us, who's, who cares for us? Is that how we see him? And that will flow into our actions. That's so good. I think, I think that's such an important place to start. Like, are you, are you hearing about the real Jesus? Rarely, in my experience, someone has encountered the real Jesus and walked away from him. He's, he's just so attractive and winsome. Even when he says hard things, you're like, I just want to get as close to him as I possibly can. So many of us walk away from fake Jesus, though. The loud, obnoxious, judgmental, uptight, miserable Christian. It's like, I don't want anything to do with that Jesus. And it's like, well, that's actually not the real Jesus. That's a fowler of him. You want to meet the real Jesus. Okay, so a next step. Like, if, if, okay, so I know that Jesus is loving and kind and truth, truth filled. Like, what's the next step that you would give me? I would say that it's about inviting him into your life. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have, it doesn't have, things don't have to be pretty in your life. It's just about inviting him in and allowing him to do the transformation. He does the work while you just obey. You walk with him and he will transform your life.

Yeah, I love that so much. And honestly, I'll just, I'll just share it for the three of us and even the church as a whole. That would be our greatest hope for today. More than you meeting Xavier and McKenna, who are amazing people, our hope and desire is that you would meet Jesus. That you would just hear about a relationship with him. And so to close today, we just want to extend that opportunity and that invitation to everybody across campuses, if you're joining us online as well. If you're here today and you want Jesus in your life, man, it's time. What a great day to decide, to follow Jesus for the first time. So I'm gonna, I'm gonna invite everyone to close their eyes. And across campuses, if you're like, that's me, I want Jesus and more than that, I need Jesus. I'm just gonna invite you to be bold just for a second and just raise your hand. If that's you, just raise your hand wherever you are. Just if you, if you don't just want Jesus, but you need Jesus, just, just raise your hand. I never cease to be amazed by what happens when we take a simple step of faith, like raising our hand, how God meets us in that place. And so across campuses, if that's you, if you raised your hand, just repeat these words in the quietness of your soul between you and God, just tell him, Jesus, I need you in my life. I need you in my life.

And then just tell him, I give you permission to enter. He doesn't. barges way in. He doesn't break down the door, he waits for us to open the door to him. And so I invite you into my life. And then just tell him, Jesus, would you forgive me of my sin, my brokenness, my past, my embarrassments, those secrets that no one knows about except me and you? Would you forgive me of all of it? The things that I did to people that I love the most and I treat them like garbage, would you forgive me of that? And then just ask him, by the power of the Holy Spirit, would you make me brand new? I'm so thankful that God doesn't make us a better man, he doesn't make us a better woman, he makes us a brand new man, a brand new woman. And so by the power of the Holy Spirit, the same power that raised Christ from the dead, would you do that in me? And then Jesus, today, from this day forward, I was headed one direction when I came in and today I'm changing the direction of my life and I'm following you. Like Xavier said, I don't want you to just be my Savior, I also want you to be my Lord. I want you to be in control. Specifically, when we disagree, your way goes, not mine. And then just tell him, Jesus, from this day forward, I'm yours. I'm yours. I'm your son. I'm your daughter. I'm yours. Lord, I'm so grateful for every single person who raised their hand. What a bold step to make. And yet you see that, Lord, and you meet us in that place. I pray for every person who raised their hand that today, that this week, that they would see you and know that you are there. Tomorrow, when they wake up and they're like, maybe I'm just too jacked up and broken and maybe it didn't work. No, no, it's not based on our feelings, it's based on Jesus. And so even when those doubts and those lies creep back in, no, Jesus, you've said it and so it's true. And so, Lord, we just love you so much. We just are so thankful for who you are. We pray all these things in the name of Jesus. Amen. Amen. Hey friends, it's Adam from Embrace. If today's message encouraged you, be sure to hit the subscribe button to our YouTube channel to see all new messages as they drop. Also, feel free to click here and check out more of our videos. Thanks so much for watching.