AMAZING STORY
Kedric Golston's Winding Road to the NFL
By Shawn Brown
The 700 Club
CBN.com - “I don’t want anybody to get injured, but I don’t mind putting a hurtin’ on somebody.”
Washington Redskins Defensive End Kedric Golston loves to bring down ball carriers as they try to fight their way through the defensive line. Last season he helped the Skins capture the NFC East title. Looking back, he says there’s no doubt that without God he wouldn’t even be able to play football.
“I got into a real bad car accident my senior year in high school; flipped my truck 5 times, got thrown out the truck, broke my leg, and ended up getting a staph infection in my lungs. At that moment in time if God didn’t want me to play football, He could have taken it away right then and there,” said Kedric.
For an All- American with a bright future, the accident put everything in question. He immediately went into rehab. With God’s grace he was still offered a scholarship. “He allowed me to start as a true freshman at the University of Georgia 6 or 7 months after breaking my femur, having a rod and two screws put in my leg.”
But when he got to college, football became his focus. His faith took a back seat.
“I tell people all the time, I got to college and just lost my mind. I thought I was a Christian because I said the prayer. I said I was a Christian. I knew Jesus but wasn’t serving Him whole heartedly. I felt as long as I went to church on Sunday, and said my prayers, I’d be just fine. I knew mamma was at home praying for me. So I thought that was all that mattered.”
During the 2002 season, Kedric helped the Bulldogs win their first SEC Championship in 20 years. Life was good. But the next 3 seasons, he was plagued by injuries which put his football future in question once again. That’s when he realized he needed to make some adjustments.
“I just really got tired of playing the one step forward and five steps back. And (I was) kind of using God as a good luck charm and not really allowing Him to be the head of my life as the Lord and Savior that He is.”
So one day after study hall, Kedric decided it was time to have a talk with the Lord. “Towards the end of my senior year, I don’t know if the NFL is going to take me. (I was) kind of in that limbo where I know I’ve got to leave school, I just don’t know where I’m going. That day I just decided to walk back to the dorms, and I just started talking to God out loud saying, ‘God, I don’t know where I’m going. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I just pray and ask that You be with me.’”
The next week, Kedric got an answer. “We played the University of Kentucky that Saturday. And I’m playing against this offensive lineman. I’m saying things to him I shouldn’t say and just being wild. After the game he comes to me and says, ‘I’ve got a word for you. Trust in the Lord and He’s going to do everything that you want to be done. Just trust Him and serve Him with your whole heart.’ And it just burned in my soul.”
Soon after, Kedric was selected in the 6th round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. As soon as he got there, he met Pastor Brett Fuller.
“I’ll tell you Pastor Brett…he’s been here as long as Darrell Green has been here. And you talk about a man with a servant’s heart that cares about men, and about seeing people grow to be what they need to be for God is just phenomenal. Pastor Brett did a great job of leading me and not pacifying me. So for the first time in my life I was able to see why God has these rules for us, see the life that He’s promised us, and see what sin does in our lives. And see it for myself and not hear it from other people. Ever since then I’ve just been full out. Just trying to serve Him the best way I know how, living every day to honor Him and glorify His name.”
Shawn Brown, 700 Club Sports Reporter: “When you made that decision what changed?
“Everything. I’ve done it my way. I tried to be successful my way. I’ve always been a hard worker, somebody that always did everything right and things never really worked out the way I thought they should. So I got tired of fighting that fight and I realized that I can place my burdens on Him. And all I really need to do is serve Him and glorify Him because that’s what I was created to do.”
The Redskins had a rough start this season. And with a defense at the bottom of the rankings, the pressure is on. Kedric says it’s during times like these that he worships to Lord even more, because ultimately that’s what life is really about.
“He’s my Lord and my Savior. I count it all joy that He came into this world as a man. (He) dealt with all the things that I dealt with and died on the cross for my sins. So, I’m going to serve Him because He’s my Savior. He’s my Lord. He’s the head of my life. I’m going to honor Him with all that I do. He loves us more than anything. He wants us to have that relationship with Him so that we can be in heaven with Him. Things are going to happen in this world that are going to be hard. Every day is not going to be a cakewalk. But trust in Him and know that battle is already won. Every situation is different, but there’s always a fork in the road; you can choose the world’s way or you can choose God’s way
.”
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