Athlete Testimonies:

Chad Pennington

He may be breaking out some freestyle rap in the locker room or banging helmets with teammates as he talks seriously to them. Either way, people respond well to Chad Pennington. He's become a leader.

But his professional career did not start out exactly as he'd envisioned. His adjustment to the pros from college football at Marshall was a slow one. Pennington stood on the sidelines watching others taking off...but he wasn't ready to fly.

"The Lord puts you in situations that might be tough...that test your patience, your self-confidence, you as a person," says Pennington. He was able to look at his circumstances from a spiritual perspective because of a relationship with Christ that started in grade school. His father Elwood says, "The greatest gift I could give my kids was to introduce them to Jesus Christ."

Pennington now leads not only on the field but in his Christian walk by practicing what he's preaching. He tries to be selfless, just as Christ was. If possible, he'd spend hours sitting at the apostle Paul's feet, soaking up his teachings. He strives to live by Philippians 1:21.

At one time, Chad Pennington wasn't ready to fly; now God has given him wings to soar.

Uncommon Challenge