Lauren Holiday, one of the stars of the US Women's National Team and the National Women's Soccer League, has been recognised many times for leading the US team to victory in various international competitions.
However, the dedicated athlete wants people to recognise something, or rather someone, far more important: Jesus Christ.
"Success is being the best soccer player I can be. But the wonderful, wonderful thing about loving Jesus is, it's not about me. And the spotlight isn't on me," she said, according to Breaking Christian News. "So when I do step out on the field for that gold-medal game or the 2011 World Cup against Japan, I get to play with freedom because I don't have to worry about how I score or if I score or what happens if we lose or if I make a bad pass, because success isn't determined on that with Christ."
She explained that she loves to win, and God loves, it too, whenever she does, but even if she doesn't, her identity still does not change. She is still a follower of Jesus Christ either in loss or success. Holiday can always choose to remain humble and give Him the glory.
Holiday has been awarded the 2014 US Soccer Female Athlete of the Year, together with four NCAA All-America awards and two Olympic gold medals. But Holiday told Fellowship of Christian Athletes that nothing ever compares to the opportunity she has been given to follow Christ and share her relationship with Him to the world.
The passionate athlete said she knows she has been blessed for a purpose.
"I know I wasn't given these talents to be mediocre," she said. "God has blessed me abundantly with the ability to play soccer—the world's game. Every time I step foot on the field, I know that, through my effort and play, I'm glorifying Him. He gave me the world's stage to share His Gospel, and that is what I hope I do."
