Meet Jonah Brannon, Murray State Baseball Player
April 1, 2020
The Story of How I Found Christ at FCA Leadership Camp
I was very fortunate to grow up in a Christian household with two very loving parents. I was saved at an early age because I truly did feel Christ come into my life. I was considered a good child who lived the good Christian life. I always knew about God and about the stories in the Bible, but I did not really KNOW who God was. Throughout high school, I continuously searched for the thing that would give me the most happiness and fulfillment in life. I thought maybe getting good grades, having straight A’s, striving to be a Valedictorian would give me all the fulfillment and happiness I needed. So I worked hard and I achieved those goals and it was awesome for the time being, but it ultimately left me empty and not satisfied. So, then I thought maybe having a lot of friends and being really well liked would make me happy, so I tried to be friendly with everybody, have a lot of friends and be well liked, and for the most part, I was. But I had to put on a fake face and make myself look like I was happy and content when I really never was. So then I thought maybe being really good at sports would fulfill me and give me the happiness I had been searching for. I worked hard and tried to be as successful as I could. My teams won a lot of games but after it was over, the happiness didn’t last, it was so temporary. It left me wondering, “Shouldn’t there be more than just this temporary feeling of happiness? I’ve worked so hard for all of this and it’s just come and gone just like that."
It wasn’t until my freshman year at Murray State when some things really started to click for me. I went to the BCM, Baptist Campus Ministry. I thought this would be a good place to meet some new friends and have fun. It was then that I saw people just being content and so happy about worshiping the Lord and being around other believers. I would sit there and think, “What do I have to do to be this happy and content?” I remember praying to God, “I don’t know what they have but I want it. I want to be so happy and content with just loving you and worshiping you."
I redshirted my freshman year on the baseball team and that was definitely a challenge that I was not ready to face. It left me wondering, “What am I really doing? Why do you have me here God?” But I knew deep down that God had a reason for me playing college baseball and it was to use my platform as an athlete to spread the Good News of his Son. So that year went on and I really started to figure out that I was lost, I needed a Savior, and Jesus was the only thing that would give me true happiness and fulfillment.
My second year of college, I met Eric Grogan and Robert Harwell and they started talking to me about being involved with FCA and about potentially starting an FCA here at Murray State. I remember them telling me that I should think about working at FCA Leadership Camp that summer. I told them yeah that would be really fun, I’ll definitely have to think about it. But after that meeting I really never thought anymore about it. They would periodically text me and ask me if I was still thinking about it and I would text back some excuse as to why I hadn’t given them an answer. Later that summer I was sitting at home watching TV and my phone rang. It was a random number that I didn’t have saved, I picked it up and looked at it and sat it back down. And I don’t know why, but I had a sudden urge and I was like I have to answer this phone call, so I did and it was Eric. He said “Hey Jonah, FCA Leadership Camp is coming up this weekend and they are short on male huddle leaders. We think you’d be a great addition to the staff, let me know what you’re thinking and if you’re able to come help us out.” I remember saying let me talk to my parents real quick and I will call you back. At that moment something hit me that I have to do this, I cannot relinquish this opportunity. So I called him back that day, which was a Wednesday, and said I’m in. He said great news the camp starts Friday. I loaded up my truck and headed to Western Kentucky University, not knowing anything about FCA or Camp or being a huddle leader. Throughout the week, I got to interact with the kids in my huddle and share the Gospel with them. I feel like God was also sharing it with me at the same time. It just reminded me that He gave me the opportunity to be an athlete, so I could use my platform to share my faith. It reminded me that my identity wasn’t found in my sport or other worldly things, but in Jesus! God was working and moving in everybody not just the kids at the camp.
After a great camp, I was on my way home and it just hit me that I’m so broken and so lost and I can’t do it on my own. I needed Jesus in my life for real this time. I always knew who Jesus was, but I never had a personal relationship with him. That is what kept me from having true happiness in all that I did. I felt the urge to share my story with my parents, but I wrestled with it the entire time driving home. When I arrived, I shared for the first time with my parents just how grateful I was for them and all the struggles I had been through. I explained I had been finding my identity in so many other things other than in Christ alone, and every single one of those things had left me empty. I finally had found my identity fully in Christ!
I believe if I was able to share my struggles and my story with my parents, who know me better than anyone, I can share it with everyone. I want to use the platform I have as an athlete to share what God is doing in my life. My hope is that I can relate that to what other students may be going through because I’ve also been in that stage of life. The main thing that drives me on is the fact that I know my identity isn’t found in what others think or say about me, but what God says about me!
