Finding Faith in Adversity - Katie Phillips, ‘22

FINDING FAITH IN Adversity

Katie Phillips, sophomore and member of the Tennessee Wesleyan Women’s Soccer Team, has dealt with her fair share of adversity. Her journey from London, England to Athens, Tennessee was not an easy route. Before attending TWU, Katie tore her ACL twice. The second time delayed her from coming to Tennessee Wesleyan by six months. Once she reached the states, she felt like something wasn’t quite right about her left knee. After dealing with pain throughout preseason, she finally approached her athletic trainer, Margaret Ligon, and told her that something was off.

After a few doctor visits and an MRI, Katie’s ACL was torn again. The average recovery for an ACL tear is anywhere from six to nine months post-surgery. Katie’s season came to an abrupt stop.

“The hardest part is the routine,” Katie confided about her recovery process. “The routine becomes a rut, and the rut becomes a trench. The same exercises day after day for months. The only exciting thing is that you get to add weight and you get to add reps.”

After surgery, her days consisted of the monotonous strain of recovery while finding her new role on the sidelines as an injured teammate. She never allowed her struggle to affect her relationship with her teammates and always focused on lifting them up.

Katie found strength in her relationships formed through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). Before her surgery, she met with FCA leaders and accepted Christ into her life.

“This time was really different,” Katie said, “because I never felt lonely.”

One of Katie’s friends would stay up with her to talk about life and her newfound faith. “He would say, ‘God always has a

plan for you. We get dealt cards in life and you have been dealt two straight Jokers, but don’t worry. We will both come out on top with the King’,” Katie said.

Phillips’ mother also gave her encouraging words from across the pond, “Same bus, different driver.” She understood that she was not the first person to tear her ACL, and she most certainly won’t be the last. It all depended on how she dealt with the adversity and how she let it affect her. She also has taken the advice of her father who told her to look at every decision through the eyes of her 10-year-old self. Any time she felt herself giving up, she would think, “Would my 10-year-old self be proud of what I’m doing now?”

took her position and fell into the rhythm of the game. On October 12, she stepped on the field in her first game back against St. Andrews University, a conference competitor. She remembers running out on the field and feeling the overwhelming support of her teammates and their families. “Your teammates’ families become your family,” she said. Happy tears ran down her cheeks as she After the final whistle, she ran off the field into Margaret Ligon’s arms and thanked her for all that she has done. “Without her, I wouldn’t be here.”