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The Truth In Love podcast will present God's timeless truth through the lens of His amazing love. We will do this not only through stories of people who have experienced His peace, love, strength, and wisdom through tough circumstances, but also by endeavoring to give the Bible’s answer to life’s great questions, like: Who is God, what's my purpose, who am I, how can I know God, what is heaven and hell, what is truth, and why is the Bible's truth better than my own version of truth? These are legitimate questions folks ask, and we as Christians should have the answers! God has a magnificent plan for every person. We are thrilled to be part of discovering and sharing what His Word reveals to bring hope, peace and great love into the hearts of all humanity. Join us every Tuesday morning at 5:00 a.m. CST for The Truth in Love podcast, with your host Kimberly Faith
Welcome to the Truth in Love podcast with your host, Kimberly Faith. The Truth in Love podcast seeks to present God's timeless truth through the lens of his remarkable love.
Kimberly Faith:Welcome back to the Truth in Love podcast, and I have a dear new friend, Megan Freeman, who I I guess we met around Christmas, didn't we? Yes. And, welcome to the show. Thank you for having me. Absolutely.
Kimberly Faith:And I I am very, I'm very honored that you, granted us this interview because I know that your life and time is precious. You have two small children and a husband and, are very busy. And so thank you for taking the time on Saturday, of course, to visit with me. So to get just a by way of introduction, since I've met you and I know some things about you, I wanna introduce you to our audience. You are a former WNBA basketball player.
Kimberly Faith:Is that right? Yes.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:That's right.
Kimberly Faith:And you got your start, at both the University of Hawaii and the University of Iowa. And had an impressive career. Utah. Sorry.
Kimberly Faith:You had an impressive career. I mean, you were you were, I I just looked up some stats on you on you know, since you're famous, I mean, I had to look up on Wikipedia. I like to tease, so just you have to just put up with me. Okay? And you were you were actually you went to the University of Hawaii as a two sport athlete, and they quote you as having a goal to play pro volleyball.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Was that right? Yes. I actually I wanted to be one of the first players to play professional volleyball and basketball. But going into Hawaii, I was just gonna play volleyball. I was gonna leave basketball in the past, but then God had his feelers in the mix to to get me back into basketball.
Kimberly Faith:Well, you know, I'm a volleyball girl at heart. I I I quit playing at age 50, so that, you know, that should tell you something about how how crazy I am. But I really admire the fact that you you you did both. I mean, that's huge in a d one school. And, I I just had kind of let people know just how good you are.
Kimberly Faith:I'm gonna read some of your stats not to embarrass you. I mean, not all of stats, just a few. But you were you played both the varsity basketball and volleyball teams. You were named UH's rookie of the year on both teams in two consecutive years. Is that right?
Megan (Huff) Freeman:The first year I was rookie of the year for, like, the University of Hawaii, just their athletic program. Okay.
Kimberly Faith:And then you were named the big west sixth oh, that's right. You wouldn't be a rookie their second year. That's this is a ding dong. Sorry. We have lots of ding dong moments on this show, just so you know.
Kimberly Faith:But then you were named the Big West six player of the year, in basketball in your second season, and you led your team in double doubles, blocks, and earned the Big West six player of the year honors for your second consecutive year. Is that right? Yes. Wow. That's impressive.
Kimberly Faith:So then why why did you transfer to the University of Utah?
Megan (Huff) Freeman:When I let volleyball go, I decided that I wanted to go and play basketball at a higher school, a Pac twelve school that had, higher competition every night.
Kimberly Faith:Okay. Yeah. Hawaii's kinda isolated, isn't it?
Megan (Huff) Freeman:It was it was an amazing school and I loved it. I went there mostly for volleyball though because they were a really great volleyball school. They're known for their volleyball program. Dave Shoji is one of the, I think when I was there, he was the most winningest coach in the NCAA, so he was a legend.
Kimberly Faith:Wow. Well, so when you transferred to Utah, then you just focused on basketball.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yes. That is correct. And so I had a red shirt year, and that was my first time just focusing on one sport.
Kimberly Faith:I was impressed when I was reading some of the information that's out on the World Wide Web about you. They called you the quiet superstar. And in the two seasons in Utah, you scored over a thousand points and was named to the all Pac twelve team twice. That's impressive.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Thank you.
Kimberly Faith:So after college, then you went on to get drafted in the, WNBA. So and and then you ended up actually in Europe playing basketball. Tell tell us about that.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:It was an amazing experience. All of every step, I could see God in the in the mix. He was really divinely putting people into my life that, put me in the right places to get to where I was at. I think from a young age, the quiet superstar part of it, I I always had the fruits of the spirit within me just because having the holy spirit in me. I was always the, like, quieter person on the court.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:I like to be, like, very humble. I wasn't trying to be all flashy.
Kimberly Faith:Smack like me? No. Yeah. Not much.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:So from a young age, I didn't really have that in my like, people always told me I needed to be more aggressive, and I needed to score more, and I needed to do all these things that are about me, me, me. Right. And I always wanted to be more about the team and more about, sharing
Kimberly Faith:the light, basically. Right. Yeah. That's that's pretty unique. I I think that, but let let me ask you this.
Kimberly Faith:What what when were you saved? When were you born again?
Megan (Huff) Freeman:So I was baptized when I was young. When so I grew up in a Christian home. My mom was a Christian. My dad was not. They got divorced when I was young.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:And so I would go back and forth from houses, and that's kind of how my life went afterwards. I would Sure. Dive back into the word of God, and and then I would go back into the world and get carried away.
Kimberly Faith:Yeah. That had to be very confusing for a child to to go back and forth between anything goes and, oh, here are the rules we're gonna live
Megan (Huff) Freeman:by because these are God's rules. Right. And I like the structure. I did. I liked being under my mom's, like, structure of of the Bible and Christianity and the laws.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:But then when I would go to my dad's house, I also enjoyed, like, tiptoeing into the world and seeing what I could do and, experiencing things.
Kimberly Faith:Right. And, you know, that kind of reminds me of when we teach the, the human design, body, soul, and spirit, even after we're born again, which you were born again, I guess, at a younger age?
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yeah. So so that's when I was first baptized, and I knew Christ, and I knew that he was doing things in my life. And I could see him working through my career and everything, but I would always go back into the world. And I would, like, have boyfriends and do all these things in the world, drinking and smoking and doing all, like, everything under the sun and partying, whatever else. Right.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:And so then after I had my daughter is when I got baptized in my own kind of it was my choice rather than when I was I was nine years old. It was more so, like, we just go to church and this is just a part of life. Right. So once I was older, I made the decision, like, I'm gonna do this and I'm not gonna go back to the world. I'm gonna choose Christ.
Kimberly Faith:You know, you you you use some interesting words, and I I wanna, just because one of the the goals in this program is called truth and love because we wanna make sure people have the truth, and we want them to that truth to ride on the wings of love. And a lot of times, one of the things I hear that confuses, people that are in my office or whatever is I'll ask them, when were you born again? They'll say, well, I was baptized. And, and just to be clear, when you say that, you you received Jesus Christ as your lord and savior before you were baptized. Is that I mean, am I saying that correctly?
Kimberly Faith:Because we know baptism doesn't save us.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Right. Right.
Kimberly Faith:It's just an outward manifestation of what's happened inside and a open declaration, so to speak, that Jesus Christ is your lord and savior. And so you're saying you did that when you were nine, but you weren't really are you saying you weren't really sure if that was Yes. If that was the real deal? Yes.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:So when I was nine, again, it was more of a family, like, it was one of those, again, your your family did it, so you're kind of going into it the same way. You're it's just a part of your life. And then when I was in high school is actually when I, like, said the the Lord's prayer, and I, like, received God into my life as my own walk.
Kimberly Faith:Well, your own Lord and savior.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yes. Correct. And then I did that, like, a couple of times because I was always unsure. Am I really saved? Is this really a thing?
Megan (Huff) Freeman:So whenever the the pastor would come up
Kimberly Faith:and I hadn't been to church for a
Megan (Huff) Freeman:while, I would always, like, resay it again under my breath or whatever just to make sure.
Kimberly Faith:And, you know, I have a a similar experience. You know, it was it was, you know, we when my parents left the hippie lifestyle and came into the church lifestyle, it was much different, obviously. And and so, of course, I was afraid of hell, which, you know, I mean, that's a that's a healthy fear. But until I actually surrendered for myself to the lordship of Christ and received his gift of salvation with a heart of repentance, meaning I don't wanna go back to that lifestyle, That that's, I think, the moment that I was born again and became God's child and didn't and then I was, of course, baptized after. But I wanted to clarify that because I know you and I have talked in about this, and that's what you meant.
Kimberly Faith:It just sometimes wasn't, you know, it's not as clear because you that milestone was the stone is typically marked by baptism. Yes. Yes. Yeah. So at what at what point at some point, you you did trust Jesus Christ as your lord and savior, and you did receive him into your into your heart.
Kimberly Faith:And, you know, there was a change, although there's still the flesh. Right?
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Right.
Kimberly Faith:Right. We've all battled with that. Yes. So, so what at what point in your, career, your basketball career, did you have your first child?
Megan (Huff) Freeman:I was it was towards the end of my career. I was in my second season. I just got back from overseas. I'd met my husband now. While I was overseas, I was in a situation that was very unhealthy when I was overseas.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:So I was kinda looking for a a breath of fresh air. And my husband was a believer, or he is a believer. And, he started we started talking as I was overseas. He started sharing with me that he only listens to Christian music and all of these things that were really, like, appealing to me at the time because I had only been really around other athletes who were also doing the same things as I was listening to worldly music and, just very in the world. So that was very appealing to me, but I also was a professional athlete.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:And I was like, well, I wanna be with a professional athlete, so I'm not gonna settle for this or whatever. And, so I was kind of entertaining it. And then once I got home, he took me on a couple of dates, and I started to see that he was really a gentleman. And we had a lot of things in common, and I could see myself being with him, but, again,
Megan (Huff) Freeman:I was still playing very hard to get. And then What? So yeah. And so, after we started dating, we went on, like, a little vacation, just us, and that's when I ended up getting pregnant. And so I was in the process of making a decision where I was gonna go next.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:I was either gonna go to a team in Italy or in Turkey, and my agents had just called me. And, I was like, I'm a little bit late on my cycle, and so I should probably go and get a pregnancy test before I make a decision on where I wanna go. So we went in and I got a pregnancy test done, and I found out I was pregnant. And for me, there was no other choice but to to keep the child because I made the decision to sleep around before marriage. So Right.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:For me, I was, fully committed to whatever the next step of life was gonna be.
Kimberly Faith:So it's interesting because we're the the organization that you and I met through was the Free Women's Center, which is a pregnancy resource center for, people who get who have a child, or pregnant. Sorry. And, you know, I I think that the the decision how important do you think it is, and this is a little bit off off off topic, but to have this place where women who don't have the support system you had, can have help in making decision to keep their child.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Oh, I think it's so important, and that's a part of my my testimony in my heart now is for women who who have a similar experience where because I was in a place where all the odds were kind of not in my favor. Right. In regards to keeping the child. Like, I had my career was just starting. I had everything lined up.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:My money, my everything was through, basketball, and I could no no longer play. Like, so I didn't have insurance. I didn't have a place to live. I didn't have, a job now. Like, I was with this guy for only a month.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:I didn't know if I wanted to be with him. So And this
Kimberly Faith:is your husband you're
Megan (Huff) Freeman:talking about. So at that time, I did not know very much about my life, and so I was very confused and very embarrassed and ashamed of where I was at. But, with I knew that, eventually, my mom would support it. At first, when I told her, she was very upset, and
Kimberly Faith:she was Of course. Yeah.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yeah. So so that was a hard part of life, but now my heart is really for, yeah, women who don't have a support system and who are in the same situation and how my life now, if I would have made that decision, my life would have been completely different. And I would have I would've not had the same piece. I don't think I mean, God is the the maker of all, and he knows the the the story, but, I don't think my life would've been the same Of course. On in, like, relationship wise to Christ if I would've continued to play basketball and if I would've gone the
Kimberly Faith:other way. Right. Now did you continue to play basketball some after your child was born? Your little
Megan (Huff) Freeman:your little girl. Yes. Yeah. Yes. And I it was more of a, I wanted to make sure that she wasn't the reason that I stopped playing.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:I wanted to make the decision on my own. And so I went and played with her in France for I think it was she was five months old, and I went over there for about four or five months. And my husband was still in Washington state, and I went overseas, and it just wasn't really lining up. And I I felt like I either had to choose to send her to daycare and her to be kind of raised by someone else or for me to come home and raise her myself. Interesting.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:And so I I made that decision to come home and kinda leave basketball in the past and see maybe in the future I could play again or whatever else. So I kinda made that decision at that point, but yes.
Kimberly Faith:Your story is so extraordinary because, you know, I mean, I remember when I got pregnant with my, my oldest child, and I was in law school, my first year of law school. And I I remember thinking, I'll never finish. You know? And and I know exactly how that feels because it the timing was not it was I mean, I wasn't even married. You know?
Kimberly Faith:And it was like and here I am supposed to be this Christian person. Right? And you kinda just say, wow. Am I ever gonna get it together? And it was interesting because, right before I found out that I was pregnant, I actually received Jesus Christ as my lord and savior.
Kimberly Faith:And so here here we are right in this. I was in this conundrum of, you know, career, child, marriage. You know, I end up we end up getting married. But I understand that you almost feel like your I don't wanna say your life is over, but and by the world's standards, the way the world the lens of the world views, people that, you know, give up a career or make a decision to keep their child instead of something else. There's all this pressure on women to to be to have it all.
Kimberly Faith:Right? And and God worked it out. My career was delayed, but God worked it out so I could finish my law practice. And and and now it's a great mission field. And so I I guess I'm I'm telling you this because I I know that that if your heart is to serve the Lord, that your vision with that involves basketball will come true.
Kimberly Faith:Right. You know? And and so what Tell everybody kinda what your what the vision is. I know you've got a lot of ideas, and I love all of them. And and that's great because sometimes we we we need to use our imagination, and God steps in and says, oh, but my imagination is even bigger than yours.
Kimberly Faith:Right? Yes. So tell everybody what your vision is for for your ministry with basketball. Okay.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:So for basketball, my, my vision my long term vision would be to start a skills training program where I can bring the fruits of the spirit to basketball Mhmm. And kind of bring basketball back to its roots of being a mission field. And,
Kimberly Faith:you okay. So you before the show, we were talking about the roots of basketball, and you told me something I didn't know. And that is that the guy who invented basketball, his name is James Naismith. Mhmm. And it was back in, I guess, '8 eighteen hundreds, lady '10 was that right?
Kimberly Faith:Eighteen hundreds? That, he and he was a Canadian American physical educator, physician, Christian chaplain, and sports coach, and he invented basketball. Yes. And, and and it was what what is it that what you read, he did it, I guess, the YMCA first, which was the Young Men Christian Association back in the day. Right?
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yes.
Kimberly Faith:And so that's kind of your vision. It's kind of been from you were inspired by him.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yes. And and just using the platform that God gave me, I felt as though I didn't yet accomplish because he put me on this this place where I could share the gospel so freely Right. If I wanted to to when I was playing professionally. Mhmm. And I was kind of always shying away from it because of fear of judgment of the world or whatever, especially because I was still living in the world.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yeah. And so I was fearful of those things. So now being outside of that, I wanna still be able to use that platform that he gave me Mhmm. And using it to to turn it from, like, an idolization thing because a lot of people think just because I was a professional athlete that I'm, like, some I like, someone to be idolized or to idolize or whatever. And, and it's just not the case.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Like, we're all the professional athletes are just as human as everyone else as everyone else. And so using that that place that I was at to be able to shine a light and bring kids in and to be like, hey. This is where I was, but I was never really fulfilled in this Yeah. Until I had a relationship with Christ, until I found my true, like, my the the relationship with my father. Like
Kimberly Faith:Yeah. Your heavenly father. Yes. Exactly. And and I I just think that your story is so powerful because first of all, you're transparent.
Kimberly Faith:I mean, you know, just just to say, yeah, this is where this is where these decisions to live after the world took me. If I had, you know, maybe lived according to to the spirit, right, maybe I would have had, a different a different mission, but I didn't. But that's not the end of the world. God takes our our stupidity, our own stupidity. I'm exhibiting on that, and he works it against itself and works great miracles.
Kimberly Faith:And, you know, I think about of course, I've met your two beautiful little girls and and seen you, you know, be a mom, and I I I just think that what a great gift that you have. I mean, think about it. You know, scoring a thousand points. Right? You know, those things are who's gonna remember?
Kimberly Faith:Right. Right? But and what are your children's names? Ava and Amaya. So you have two little, mission projects.
Kimberly Faith:And, you know, the way God tells us to view our children and the people that we have the influence over is is to, to make disciples. Right? And when they come to know Jesus, and then maybe they lead others to come to know Jesus, you know, in eternity Yes. It's the only thing that's gonna matter. Yes.
Kimberly Faith:Absolutely. You know? And it's, you have your own discipleship project, and it sounds like God's kinda leading you in a direction to because he's given you a platform. You're an amazing athlete, and you have not just natural skills, but you've worked Mhmm. To hone your skills.
Kimberly Faith:And so, man, I just think about the impact, on you could have on thousands of young young girls Mhmm. Who maybe have never had known anybody like you Right. Or never would. Right. So tell us more about your vision.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yes. So it would be, again, skills training to start and, maybe making a facility that would be, like, long term to create a basketball facility and, just being able to bring the youth in, having camps, having, skills training, and being able to bring the fruits of the spirit to basketball. So the things that were instilled at me, like, it was just in my heart from a young age to, again, to have the fruits of the spirit.
Kimberly Faith:Did you run that time with your mom, from church? I think
Megan (Huff) Freeman:it was just the holy spirit within me because Interesting. It was just kind of a part of my personality and who I was as a person. So I think it was just kind of a god given thing.
Kimberly Faith:So what is so the when I think of the fruit of the spirit, the first the top three, love, joy, and peace. Right? And then you have, you know, kindness, compassion, you know, all these things, gentleness. And, and so what does that look like?
Megan (Huff) Freeman:So it's slowly breaking down into lessons how you can make love a thing in basketball. Like, how can you be loving in a game? Interesting. Helping someone up, whether like, if you knock someone down, not just going and standing over them and taunting them or
Kimberly Faith:Right.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Like, it not at this the the game isn't that important to to stake at or, like, to, you know,
Kimberly Faith:Your testimony is more important than the game.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yes. Exactly. Yeah. So, again, and then having patience. There's so many different times in basketball where you can have patience, whether it'd be with your move, whether it'd be, with your journey.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yeah. With your journey and, like, trusting that God's gonna have your journey in the long run. During my my career when I was in a stage of, transitioning from volleyball to basketball, there was a time of, like, I just had to be patient and wait. And I didn't know what the next thing was gonna be. The same thing when I was transferring, the same thing waiting for a job.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:There was all this patience I had to really trust. At that time, I wasn't very good at it. But, again, the patience that you can have in those moments, the joy you can have after a game or even in a loss, you can still have joy and people are gonna ask you, like, why can you still be joyful in this this bad season? And so that's our time to share our testimony.
Kimberly Faith:You know, you you you said something earlier about your approach to the game, kind of being more quiet, the quiet player, and and, you were forward. Right? Yes. So, you know, I think about the the love is the difference between passing the ball and getting an assist and let somebody else shoot and shooting the ball yourself. I mean, am I, yeah, I I just I think about it very simply.
Kimberly Faith:You know, love on the basketball court would be be a team player, support your team, lift your team up, and it's the same in life. Right. You know, whether it's teaching your children, you know, if you're teaching your child, hey, you don't take a toy because that's not loving. Mhmm. You know?
Kimberly Faith:You share your toys.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Right. Right. Even to the smallest thing of driving your car, like Yeah. We're not the most important thing on the road. Like, this person that's passing us up, maybe maybe it's important that they get over.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Like, just showing that love of of Christ that I'm not the most important thing. My time isn't more important than this person's time. And, like, those are really hard things to do every day.
Kimberly Faith:They are, especially, you know, I think about, well, I think about what you just said, reminding you of the the the two great commandments that Jesus taught us. He said, love the lord your god with all your heart, soul, and mind. Right? And then because he is love. Right?
Kimberly Faith:And so when we're loving him, that means we're Jesus said, if you love me, you're obeying me. That's the proof. Right? So, gosh, you know, if we're if we are sharing the road, we're not road raging, we're not retaliating, we're not, you know, returning, hate for hate, we are forgiving, we are kind, we're merciful, we're compassionate, then we are then able to do the second amendment, which is to love each other Yes. The way God loves us, which is mind blowing to think that we get to do that.
Kimberly Faith:Right. Because we're so incapable on our own. We have to have the the fruit of the spirit in us. They have to be the fruit of the spirit, not the fruit of Kim or the fruit of Megan. Right.
Kimberly Faith:And then, we can give away what we've been given, but we don't get to manufacture. We don't have to manufacture either, which is a great relief.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Right.
Kimberly Faith:Right? It
Megan (Huff) Freeman:is. I
Kimberly Faith:had a situation recently where, somebody had really stabbed me in the back, and I'd I tried to help this person for a long time. And it was just very, it was it was very, shocking to me. And, of course, your first re reaction is usually retaliation. You know? Like, are you kidding me right now?
Kimberly Faith:And, you know, the lord gave us a the the series we just finished called, the power of thanksgiving and affliction or thankfulness and affliction. And here he'd give me this this whole series, and I'm my first reaction is not to give thanks. So hard. I failed that test so badly. And for, like you know, then it was like even to the next morning, I'm trying to have my prayer time, and I'm just feeling like I'm praying to the wall.
Kimberly Faith:You know? I was like, oh, you're following it. God, clear it. Clear it out. I can't forgive her.
Kimberly Faith:You're gonna have to do it for me.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yes. You know? That's surrendering.
Kimberly Faith:That's right. And you know what he did? He's like, well, I'm so glad you asked. Here, let me help. Let me give you a picture of who she is.
Kimberly Faith:And that's what he did. Wow. And then it was like, it was like, you, this person is alone. She's afraid. You know, she she doesn't have anything.
Kimberly Faith:Yeah. And I god gave me compassion, the fruit of the spirit. Right? Yes. And that came from god.
Kimberly Faith:That Kim could not manufacture that on her own. Starts though when we want it. And those kinds of lessons, I think, would just be invaluable to young girls who, you know, you had the you grew up seeing that light and darkness every week in your life or every whatever it was with with, yeah, you had no rules and you had Christian rules. You had no you know? And even going to play basketball, the peer pressure.
Kimberly Faith:Yeah. You know? I mean, we all have it. Right. We all we all have the challenges.
Kimberly Faith:And what do you think is going to and I just that kinda leads to my question. What what do you think is going to be key for you to teach that
Megan (Huff) Freeman:to young girls? I think it's making the relationship and then also just being able to, share my testimony, share kind of the things that happened in my life and and hopefully, God willing, that they will be able to trust me and they will be able to trust that, you know, that this story is true through through the Lord, obviously. And then just leading them to Christ, being able to lead people to have their own relationship with Christ because none of us can do it on our own, and no one no one can do it for us either. It's everyone stepping into that season of of relationship with Christ, and it's not always a snap of a finger. It happens.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:It's sometimes it's over time that people can trust more and they
Kimberly Faith:can cycle. Yes. Yes. Like what you're doing with your kids.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Right. Exactly. Exactly. It's every day. It's not just like, hey, you're saved.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Good job. Go out there and Right. Rule the world or whatever. Like, it's it's, again, taking them under your wing and being a mentor for them and being because a lot of people don't have that to look up to. Right.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Especially, like, in today's world, a lot of the people we look up to are these celebrities that are
Kimberly Faith:They give us nothing. Yes. They give us nothing. I mean, if if anything, they take away from us because they they inculcate, you know, envy, you know, emptiness, you know, and some of these emotions that are so unhealthy that we can never measure up, body shame, whatever.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Right. You know? And a lot of it's not even real. The things that we're seeing, they're all living the same
Kimberly Faith:way. They're getting airbrush. Yes.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:And I was in that same place where, like, anyone could look into where I was at and be like, oh, she's so like, look at this this place where she's at. She's in the WBA now. Look at this. Blah blah blah. All these different things that they could have seen from the outside looking in, and she's so happy.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:But I was in Latvia in my like, crying and just, like, wishing I wasn't there anymore. I was depressed, and I was, like, in this stage of, like, I was never gonna be enough. Even though I was at this place where I dreamed to be since I was a kid. Right.
Kimberly Faith:And I
Megan (Huff) Freeman:still didn't feel good enough after every game. I would sit, like, late at night just watching film what I could have changed on my shot, what
Kimberly Faith:I could
Megan (Huff) Freeman:have changed on defense, what I could have changed on this. Like, nothing was good enough even if I had a good game. It still wasn't enough because someone was gonna find something that I could have done better. Right. And so it was constantly, like, striving for something, again, a worldly thing that I wanted to get.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Right. That was never gonna be enough. Yeah. Because yeah.
Kimberly Faith:And isn't it isn't it cool to hear the way that when we surrender our life to God, that we're always enough because he's enough.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Right.
Kimberly Faith:You know? And and and it's like with with this, with the situation, I was kinda like, god. Wait a minute. My this this belongs to you.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Right.
Kimberly Faith:You know, in in the context of what it could affect, that'd be my law practice. Well, that law practice isn't mine. It's yours. So this is your problem. Mhmm.
Kimberly Faith:You figure it out. What a relief. You don't have to reveal the game the game tape. You you can say, you know what? God, I did my very best in this moment, and, you know, I failed, but I know that you understand that, and you forgive that.
Kimberly Faith:And let me forgive the way you forgive. Mhmm. And then you let it go, and you're free to pray. Yes. You're free to exercise the fruit of the spirit even in the most horrible times.
Kimberly Faith:Right. Isn't that just amazing It is. The way God just like his plan is so good. And I I think about, you know, some of the verses that we talk about a lot, and, and and your life kinda reminds me of, you know, when we trust God with our plan to make our plans, it Proverbs nine sixteen nine says, in hearts in their hearts, humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. And and the Psalms thirty seven four says, delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Kimberly Faith:So you're in a you're in a period of delighting. Mhmm. Right? Absolutely. And trusting and building maybe building up your, you know, your repertoire for what's to come.
Kimberly Faith:K. Because the fruit of the spirit doesn't happen overnight, does it? Not at all. And you you get lots of practice with the littles. Absolutely.
Kimberly Faith:You pray for patience,
Megan (Huff) Freeman:and you get it right afterwards.
Kimberly Faith:You know? I tell people, and my kids, of course, are are grown, and and I tell them I I enjoy every year better than the last. And they're like, you don't miss it when they're little. I said, no. I 100% do not.
Kimberly Faith:I loved it when they were little. I loved that stage. But I love it better now because they feed them so they take me to dinner. Right. Right.
Kimberly Faith:I don't have to change them. I don't have you know? And that's that sounds bad. I don't mean to sound bad at all. I did enjoy it, but when we when when we invest, you know, you you kinda look back, and it's like investing in people like discipleship.
Kimberly Faith:Because what you're really talking about with this basketball dream that you have is a discipleship program. Yes. And one of the one of the things that we emphasize on this program is I like to talk about is how people put their profession into a mission field. They make it a mission field, and that's what you're talking about doing.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yes. Absolutely.
Kimberly Faith:So that's so exciting to me.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yes.
Kimberly Faith:That's so exciting, and and I think the Lord's gonna do that in a way that is gonna blow your mind. Absolutely.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:And even in my profession as a mother, like, because that's what I'm doing right now. I stepped away from work to be at home with my girls, and I still can use that as a mission field. And, I'm seeing that especially since we've been in Missouri, like, I've I've like, the Lord has given me a lot more confidence to go out and speak to people and to be able to share the gospel if it's at Walmart or, try to find my divine appointments, trying to pray for divine appointments and for relationships of of people that I can discipleship with.
Kimberly Faith:So Yeah. Because you have credibility. You know? You you and I I don't mean to interrupt you, but you because of where you've been, you have a natural platform. People will say, oh, wow.
Kimberly Faith:You play for the WNBA? And they may listen to you because you're not you know, I I unfortunately, our our culture has made motherhood or fatherhood into this small profession that doesn't mean much. Mhmm. And and people like you are changing that. It does what you gave up to clearly was not as important to you as what you're doing now.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Absolutely.
Kimberly Faith:And you could have had it all, like you were talking about. Right? And by the world's standards, but so people are gonna be like, what? Why? What what is it about Christianity?
Kimberly Faith:What is it about Jesus that made her give up what looks to be the best for something that the world's gonna
Megan (Huff) Freeman:stick out?
Kimberly Faith:The least. Right? And, and she's talked about the least of these. Right? You you you were I think you were quoting the scripture in there.
Kimberly Faith:Yes.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:A little bit.
Kimberly Faith:Right. Jesus said whoever has done it in the least of these has done it unto me. Right? Yes. And, really, in in eternity, the only thing that's gonna be around is not a leather covered ball.
Kimberly Faith:Right. It's not gonna be those all those points and all those accolades. It's gonna be people.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Exactly.
Kimberly Faith:And they're either gonna be in heaven or they're not gonna be in heaven. Right? And, so kinda bringing, I know I keep cutting you off because it's such an interesting discussion. I'm sorry. I I always like to, oh, let's have this.
Kimberly Faith:Let's chase this rabbit. But the basketball camp is or basketball program, I guess, is what you called it in that which is more accurate, is one thing. But do you see yourself how do you see that branching out in any other areas, or is that gonna be pretty you
Megan (Huff) Freeman:think that's kinda be your focus? So my again, a little I don't know if it's kind of a God breathe thing or Mhmm. But something that kinda pinged in my mind when I was doing the basketball training stuff would be to be able to do it as a nonprofit as well and do it to foster kids or do it for people that are not, they don't have the same, again, a family unit. So Right. Giving them something more to to cling on to and more of a because there's so much community within the basketball Yes.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Programs and stuff. And so, like, I found a lot of my best friends and family through, basketball, through sports that I've like, now I've had friends for for years past Right. Because of basketball. So bringing that community, and with a good, covering over it with it being a Christian community, you know. And,
Kimberly Faith:yeah, the world view would be the world view that's eternal. Right. That last, you know, got a humanistic worldview or some kind of mishmash of of works religion or whatever. Mhmm. Yeah.
Kimberly Faith:It is you're right. It is community. It it I remember, you know, I played, you know, competitively, I guess you could call it that, volleyball, you know, for quite a few years, and those are still peep people that I just love.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Right.
Kimberly Faith:You know, those are those are my people. That was my tribe. We hung out. We were every week or together. Mhmm.
Kimberly Faith:And so to to create that for kids who are in the foster care system, they'll you'll, like, be their family. Right.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Right. And then they can branch out and make more family and making bringing people in, disciples who have more disciples that can continue the discipleship. And you're bringing people in that can, there's a program that I wanna start doing. It's a discipleship program. That that's their vision and their goal for it is disciples who raise disciples who raise disciples.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:So, again, it's a it can branch out throughout the the world, really. Wonderful.
Kimberly Faith:It's a great commission. Right? So Jesus, it's interesting how a lot of people focus on evangelism, not not knocking that. But Jesus, the great commission, the first thing he mentions is, go you therefore make disciples. Yes.
Kimberly Faith:He he said because discipleship, like, a lot of people that disciple are not even saved yet. Yeah. We we we have a relationship like you were talking about, and we the reason they're even asking is because they're like, why do you have so much peace? Mhmm. You know, those fruit of the spirit that you're talking about Yeah.
Kimberly Faith:People are attracted to that. No one says, oh, I have too much peace. Gayle, if I be here. You're too peaceful. Yes.
Kimberly Faith:Right. No. They're like, where do you get that from? Yeah. I just saw you go through that thing, and and and you were just kind.
Kimberly Faith:How did that happen? Honey, I can tell you. It wasn't me. Yes. That was Jesus you're looking for.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yes. Especially in a world like we have right now where there's so many different things happening in the world
Kimberly Faith:and Yes.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Things that could be really scary for people to see and not have an answer for, to be able to still show that peace that we still have peace in this, again, tumultuous what is it? Yeah. It's time. Yeah. And, We
Kimberly Faith:always make we make up new words on the phone just so you know, we have we have an urban dictionary we're starting. We can we can add to that.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yes. But yeah. So being able to have that peace still and being able to still hold your head high and be able to know that even if things go South. South. Yeah.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:We still know that we have God, and and no one can take that away from us. No one can take our salvation except for the Lord. You know, he's he's the judge.
Kimberly Faith:Well, he's the judge, and and and we can never lose it because we're it's like it's like you're two girls. Yeah. They're genetically yours Right. And your husband's, and no one can change that.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Exactly.
Kimberly Faith:And when we have the genetics of Christ, no one can change that. Right. What a comfort. Right.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Right. Especially if you know him. Yes. You have to know him.
Kimberly Faith:Well and I'm just saying it. You know, a lot of people, you know, think that they can lose their salvation. And I'm thinking, wait a minute. You know, Jesus said, whosoever believes on me shall have everlasting life.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yes.
Kimberly Faith:That's like today. And and if you don't have everlasting if your life is if your everlasting life is not everlasting, then he was lying. Right. You know? You you you take that everlasting, you put it in your pocket, and you possess it today.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Yes. Yes.
Kimberly Faith:Otherwise, it was never everlasting. That's just real simple to me. Right. Maybe I'm you know, my common sense is the word I don't know, but I also think about we're in Christ, we're we're the Bible talks about being in Adam and versus in Christ. Right.
Kimberly Faith:Well, that's talking about genetics.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Mhmm.
Kimberly Faith:Your soul and spirit have been born again. You are part of the family. Yes.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Your whole flesh dies.
Kimberly Faith:That's right. And your genes don't change. Mhmm. You know? And what a comfort.
Kimberly Faith:And the fruit of the spirit, I love that you're gonna integrate this into your program because the fruit of the spirit are so to me, this is the reason we call this truth and love because the fruit of the spirit are that's how love is manifested, right, through these different ways of showing actions or showing mercy, showing compassion, showing kindness when it's not necessarily deserved. Right? And then people say, oh, what's where are you getting your truth from? Where where do you what you know? And that's a lot of people don't think about it that way.
Kimberly Faith:But when when somebody comes up to me and says, well, I believe in God, but I'm also going to live with my boyfriend. I said, well, okay. So why are you so anxious? And they went, well, because, you know and they'll give me a litany of problems. I said, well, maybe it's because the God that you're serving that believes it's okay to do these different things is not the God of the bible, and he can't help you.
Kimberly Faith:Mhmm. And people are like, what? I'm like, well, I mean, you know, it's he makes the rules because he's God. Right. But if you choose a different God who makes different rules, has different rules, the rules that you think are okay, how's that helping you?
Kimberly Faith:How's that how's it serving you? Right. You know? And you've you've lived that. You know?
Kimberly Faith:Mhmm. You know, you born again, go into the world, peer pressure. We've all done it. And then you realize that you're you're crying every night even though you're a successful basketball player. Right.
Kimberly Faith:You're home anxious every night because you're worried about whether somebody's gonna, you know, upend your law practice. Right? And God says, if you will just love me with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, renew your mind, then I'm gonna give you peace of past understanding, joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. I'm gonna give you grace to give to others. And, we've kind of coined a new a new phrase, and we're calling it the space for grace.
Kimberly Faith:And, you know, that's so powerful that when people come into our presence, we're not running over them Yeah. With the gospel or with and we're giving them space for grace, whether that's for that I mean, for that that's for growth or whether that's for salvation. Because a lot of people, like I said, we discipled, and they aren't even saved yet. Right. But they're curious.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Right. Right.
Kimberly Faith:You might just be planting a seed. Exactly. And these these young girls, especially the the whole the whole idea of doing with foster children, you know, who have been passed around Mhmm. Family to family. And a lot of times, they have wonderful foster homes, but you kinda want your real family.
Kimberly Faith:Right. You know? There's a whole That's right. And you give them that that wonderful, fruit of the spirit, the love, the joy, the peace, kindness, and, wow, I just love that. I love that.
Kimberly Faith:And I I'm I'm sorry. I always do this. I always keep talking. But is there so kind of bringing everything kind of back full circle, is there what advice if there's one piece of advice you could give, young girls who maybe are into sports or really, you know, idolized sports figures, what would that advice be?
Megan (Huff) Freeman:I would say, to focus on God. I know it's hard, especially at a young age, but to have peace knowing that God has your future. I did a little bit of a lesson to some high schoolers, and, I use the scripture in Matthew about it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to inherit the kingdom of God. And, that's that's kind of what I was seeing being on this platform where I idolized it from a young girl. Right.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:And again, it doesn't have to just be sports. It could be motherhood. It could be a profession. It could be a relationship. Like, we idolize these things and we put it on a pedestal.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:And, when we find our our riches or our glory like, when we find our our self worth through those things, it's very hard to inherit the kingdom of God. It's really hard to have our faith in Christ when we have our faith in our husbands or our boyfriends or our parents or whatever else it is, a worldly thing, our careers. So I think just trying to separate ourselves from that worldly mindset of money or fame or, a a title and really bringing it back to, the one who can never let us down, and Wow. And starting our growth there.
Kimberly Faith:That's so powerful. That's so powerful, Megan. I I I mean, it really letting God show us our value because only he knows us better than we know ourselves even. Right. And and that's such a process.
Kimberly Faith:I mean, it's I'm old, and it's but still happening in my life. You know? And I I appreciate that advice. That's such good advice. And I think I think that if if people like yourself who have this platform can are are very passionate about not not only just you're in this time now where you get an opportunity to really grow those fruit of your spirit, you know, the fruit of your spirit in you because you are able to you've got two disciples.
Kimberly Faith:Right? And and you have more freedom because you aren't you are don't have a lot of other obligations, outside the home. Right. And just giving, like you said, taking those opportunities to practice on people, like other adults and even teaching these teenagers. Right?
Kimberly Faith:What a great opportunity and exercise in patience too because you're you're you had this goal, right, that you wanna do. I mean, that's what happened with this podcast. We I I wanna do this podcast for three years. Wow. And the Lord just was we just weren't ready.
Kimberly Faith:God had to prune the vine now. He prune that fig tree right there. It's growing back. And I and and and then he was just like, okay. Now you're ready.
Kimberly Faith:Yes. And and it's you know, I don't have a clue what I'm doing, but I'm having a great time. And the Lord's blessing it. You know? So well, thank you so much for joining us on this podcast.
Kimberly Faith:And, you know, one of the the the passages that your life reminds me of is in Colossians three seventeen, and that is whatever you do in word or deed, do everything, for the name in the name of Jesus Christ. And that everything in first Peter, everything that we do, whether we eat or we drink, would be glorified to him. That's what I you know, I've only known you a short time, but that's one of the things that comes to my mind. The scriptures comes to mind about your life. And I just know that the Lord's gonna bless, bless you with the the desires of your heart because you are delighting in him.
Kimberly Faith:And so thank you so much for joining us.
Megan (Huff) Freeman:Oh, thank you for having
Kimberly Faith:me. Absolutely.
Jacob Phaneuf:You've been listening to the Truth in Love podcast with your host, Kimberly Faith. To discover more answers to the big questions in life, visit us at gofaithstrong.com.