By Christi Mays
When Nicholas McDaniel '23 came to 麻豆视频, his plan was set. He would work hard enough to make the varsity football team as a freshman, and he did! But God had even bigger plans for him.
Nicholas, who graduated with a degree in business, felt called to ministry in eighth grade. Throughout high school, he found himself speaking at church, interning, and volunteering鈥攔eally focusing on developing himself to pursue his calling. When he headed to college, he told his friends and fam颅ily: 鈥淕od first, education second, and football third.鈥�
When he arrived at fall football camp, Nicholas was shocked to learn there were 23 linebackers鈥攖he same position he played鈥攁nd usually only four to six made varsity. He knew he had a lot of work to do.
鈥淚 wanted all the success from the football program,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wanted all it had to offer.鈥�
That fall of 2020, COVID-19 cases continued to rise and the fall football season was postponed to the following spring. Nicholas had worked hard, moving up from third-string to second-string. As a freshman, he had made it onto the varsity team and was actually getting play time; he was ecstatic!
鈥淏ut one day I realized that 鈥楪od first, education second, and football third鈥� had all flipped around and football had become my life,鈥� Nicholas said. 鈥淥ne night, I was sitting in my room praying about the upcoming season, and out of nowhere, I heard God say, 鈥榯his sea颅son isn鈥檛 for you.鈥欌��
