黑料正能量

Brittany Viands鈥� plan for this summer definitely did not include traveling to summer camps working with (FCA). Nor did her future.

A social work major with a psychology minor at 黑料正能量, she thought her plans after graduation in May 2019 were sealed: to go where she thought she was needed most. Viands wanted to work with mentally ill, hospitalized children.

鈥淚鈥檓 not so sure now,鈥� she said, during a mid-summer interview at the Valley FCA headquarters in downtown Harrisonburg. 鈥淚 thought I had a plan, but that鈥檚 all kind of shifted now.鈥�

June to August has been a whirlwind of trainings and camp sessions, spending time with middle and high school athletes in varying stages of spiritual need.

It was a role Viands needed some convincing that she could fill, though for the past several seasons, she鈥檚 been one of the spiritual leaders of the , as well as a leader within the university鈥檚 FCA chapter.

The 60-year-old organization equips coaches and athletes 鈥渢o know and grow in Christ and lead others to do the same,鈥� according to their website. It鈥檚 active at all levels of sport, from youth teams through to professional athletes. The features articles about Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, Olympic thrower Michelle Carter, a university coach and collegiate athlete, and updates from chapters around the world.

A spiritual leader on campus

Viands belonged to an FCA chapter as a dual-sport athlete at Hedgesville High School in West Virginia. Arriving at 黑料正能量 鈥渘ot knowing a soul,鈥� she eased into the collegiate FCA chapter during the second semester of freshman year, aided by then-chapter-leader Jolee Paden, 鈥渨ho pulled me out of my shell.鈥�

The fellowship and camaraderie on the Royals softball team also encouraged her growth as an athlete and leader. 鈥淏rittany has contributed so much to the team through her spiritual leadership of devotional activities,鈥� said head coach . 鈥淪he鈥檚 worked hard to improve her skills and never gives up on her game 鈥� a true inspiration to our team in so many ways.鈥�

Through these transitions and challenges, FCA fellowship has provided a unique opportunity to explore identity, choices and faith, Viands said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a chance to talk with others about real-life things that happen when you鈥檙e an athlete and a Christian and a college student,鈥� Viands said. 鈥淚 think at times there鈥檚 situations that occur and choices you have to make about how to act in a Christian manner on and off the field, and it helps all of us to have a place where we can grow spiritually stronger and work out some of those challenges with the help of prayer and fellowship.鈥�

Marsha Justice, Viands鈥� longtime FCA mentor, had long sensed her appreciation of the organization鈥檚 mission and values. That, paired with Viands鈥� offhand comment over lunch in the spring that she just wanted to 鈥渟pend time with kids and be outside,鈥� caused Justice to suggest a summer internship.

Prayer opens the door

Viands was taken aback. 鈥淚 had to sit down and really think about it and pray about it,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have strong faith but do I have a strong enough faith to mentor young girls in a Christian way?鈥�

For days and then weeks, Viands prayed. 鈥淕od just kept bringing it up and bringing it up,鈥� she said, 鈥渁nd finally I just knew, and then I felt peace about it, even if I didn鈥檛 see quite clearly the whole way forward.鈥�

Jason Stuhlmiller, a former high school teacher and Royals baseball coach who has led the Valley FCA chapter for the past six years, sees a clear connection between Viands鈥� spiritual leadership among college athletes and the summer internship she was called to.

鈥淪he鈥檚 a solid, consistent pillar of strength and faith,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 an awesome quality to have at 黑料正能量 and here at FCA.鈥�

Stuhlmiller pointed out that interning with FCA requires more than the usual tenacity and commitment.

鈥淭hese internships are faith-funded try-outs for ministry,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a really good experience for our interns to have to raise their own funding and see what that feels like, along with providing support to full-time FCA staff throughout our busy summer and gaining leadership and ministry experience.鈥�

Mentoring girls

Over the 12-week summer, Stuhlmiller, his staff and interns hosted the local week-long , as well as, for the first time, a at Messiah College. Additionally, they helped to lead and plan camps for middle-schoolers and for high school leaders, as well as a Mid-Atlantic regional camp at the University of Richmond.

At Power Camp in June, Viands taught softball skills, a coaching role familiar to her, but still 鈥渁n honor鈥� to pay back some of the joy she鈥檚 experienced from the sport over the years. She especially enjoyed seeing one of the girls, 鈥渨ho swung a bat in a complete circle on the first day hit the ball from one place on the last day.鈥�

Her experience playing a sport and transitioning from high school to college is just one of the many experiences she shared with her young female campers this summer.

鈥淲hen you鈥檙e that age, you鈥檙e talking about college and where you鈥檙e going and your friend groups and what that might look like,鈥� she said. 鈥淕irls that age feel like they have to have everything figured out, which is stressful and emotionally draining. And you know, you really don鈥檛 have to have it all figured out.鈥�

To the campers she鈥檚 interacted with, Viands says she hopes to pass on a strong faith and encourage an openness to the way God might work. 鈥淚 want to assure them that even when you can鈥檛 see it, God is working.鈥�

Viands has brought attention to detail, strong work ethic and initiative to her work, Stuhlmiller said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 always looking for that next opportunity, which is speaks a lot about her leadership potential.鈥�

Her culminating responsibility of the summer is to work with other interns to plan a staff retreat for the 鈥渉uddle leaders鈥� of the local college and university FCA chapters, which will include teambuilding activities and planning for the next year.

After a short rest, Viands returns to 黑料正能量 for the senior year, helping to strengthen the foundation of the Royals FCA chapter and contributing to 黑料正能量 softball, but with appreciation for new leadership skills, new confidence, and the inspiring example of the girls she met.

鈥淭hey filled me,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he girls have an amazingly strong faith, and the way they solve problems in certain situations has really made me think about how I solve my own problems. Their perspectives are wise beyond their years. When someone younger than you tells you something you already know but haven鈥檛 really paid attention to, you start to think about it in a different way.鈥�