Heart of an Athlete
April 2009

Alana Clooten Georgia Tech Track & Field, Thrower

Chosen Attribute: Faithfulness

Dictionary definition: "True to one's word, promises, vows, etc."

My definition: "Constantly living in a trusting and believing manner toward God and His Word."

Who has encouraged me to remain faithful: "My family from back home in Alaska and the Christian family that I have found at Georgia Tech both help me daily by serving as examples of uncompromised faith."

Favorite Scripture that deals with faithfulness: Matthew 6:25-27 (NLT) – "That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life — whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?"

Why I chose this passage: "It reminds me to remain faithful and keep my focus on the Lord in everything I do. If I am successful in that, I will remain confident in the Lord and not worry. I will know that He is in control and that everything will work out in the end."

"By worrying and getting emotionally stressed about a situation, we show a lack of trust in the Lord."

How I strive to be faithful in life: "We all have our share of troubles in life, but what really demonstrates our faithfulness is how we react to them. By worrying and getting emotionally stressed about a situation, we show a lack of trust in the Lord. This is one particular area in which I need to improve. Sometimes I try to do too much, rely too much on myself, or I believe that I am able to play the game of life all on my own.

"I've found that what I need to do is to live in the now — live today and try my best to do all I can in everything I do. When the day ends and my head hits the pillow, I can put my trust and faith in God and know that the future is in His very capable hands. When I find myself worrying about life, I remind myself that God will take care of me. After all, He created the stars and everything beneath them; who am I not to have full confidence in Him?"

How I strive to be faithful in sports: "Demonstrating faithfulness in sports can be difficult and tiring. Being such a competitive person, I want to be the best at everything, especially track. I try my hardest, have a great work ethic and have been successful, but it's never enough, and I continue to strive to hit another PR every day.

"Faithfulness is trusting the Lord in all areas, especially in the areas of life in which you spend a great deal of time. When I'm hurt or not having a great season, if I'm going to be faithful I must understand that there is a reason for twisting that ankle or for having that cold streak. It is then that I must trust in the Lord, rather than pushing myself harder and harder. We may know what we want, but God also knows what His will is. And His ways are far above our own (Isaiah 55:8). Being faithful means accepting this fact and trusting the Lord in all that we do."

About the Athlete: Hometown: Fairbanks, Alaska Class: Senior Event: Throws Major: Industrial Engineering Career Highlights: • Finished fifth in hammer throw at the 2008 ACC Outdoor Championships. • Broke Georgia Tech's hammer throw record as a freshman. • Named to the 2008 NCAA All-East Region Team. FCA Involvement: Clooten first came to FCA as a freshman at Georgia Tech. A native of Fairbanks, Alaska, she had never heard of the ministry before arriving in Atlanta. Now a senior, Clooten has strengthened her relationship with Christ and other believers through the help of FCA. She is currently serving as the Huddle president. "FCA gives student-athletes a place to be mentored spiritually and to build relationships with fellow Christians," she said. "It develops individuals to the point where they will be able to minister to others long after their college athletic careers are over." FCA Staff Quote: "Alana's growth has been quite evident by the way she takes the lead with FCA. She clearly shows the kind of maturity that comes only from being with the Lord. She's a humble leader who puts nothing ahead of her faith." – Derrick Moore, Georgia Tech FCA Campus Director

--For more stories about faith and sport, visit www.sharingthevictory.com, the official magazine of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. To subscribe to STV, click here.

Photos courtesy of Georgia Tech Sports Info.