Since this is my first blog post for Courtney I thought I’d introduce myself. My name is Katie Richardson, I recently graduated from FSU with a degree in marketing and I am working this summer as an intern for Lil Light O’ Mine. She has taken me under her wing to show me all she knows about marketing and it has been an absolute blessing.
She had this amazing idea to interview young adults who are wonderful role models, and who have chosen to walk a Christ led path throughout their lives. What Courtney and probably every other mom out there wanted to know is, “how do I parent my little one, who is memorizing scripture, into an adult that is a beacon of light for Christ?”
So, we officially have a new series! LIGHTHOUSES. Get excited to meet many special teens who are a beacon of light.
When I first heard the idea my mind went straight to my younger brother, Sam. He is the epitome of a role model, and he is filled with the love and light of Jesus. Here is a little background; growing up we were both extremely athletic, but Sam has a drive and passion that kept him outside in the hot sun for hours perfecting his game. When he was a junior in high school at Winter Park he started to realize playing football in college could be a possibility for him. The letters started to come in and the visits to schools began.
That is when God truly started to show himself in the process because Sam’s top choice was Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. My family and I were shocked, we had never even been to Iowa, that’s where corn grew and it was freezing cold in the winter, but it was also where Sam found a new home.
This past fall Sam completed his second season as a quarterback for ISU, and right now he is spending his summer in early morning workouts to get ready for his third. If God taught Sam anything those first two years it is that being patient and trusting in Him truly does pay off. Sam was red shirted his first year, which meant he would not see any playing time. This was perfectly fine for my mom, she really didn’t need Division 1 defenses tackling her “sweet boy.”
His second season approached and he was third string on the depth chart, patiently waiting for his shot he continued to work hard in practice and support his teammates on the field. By the 11th game of the season Sam had worked his way up to second string. Within the first five minutes of the game the starting quarterback got a concussion, which meant Sam was in, he finally got his shot. He threw four touchdowns and ran for one, ISU won 51-23. He finished the season as the starting quarterback and will begin the 2013 season starting as well. God rewarded Sam for his patience at the perfect time.
How LIGHTHOUSES will work! I’ll interview some teen and college leaders in our country with the desire to inspire and empower moms. Let’s start with my Sam.
I wanted to interview you for this piece because you are an outstanding role model for young adults, who is the biggest role model in your life? My sister Katie Richardson
Tell me a little bit about your parents, and your relationship with them. My parents are Lonnie and Leslie Richardson, happily married and awesome people. I have a great relationship with them, we can mess around and be fun with each other. Love them very much.
If you could choose three words to describe your parents’ parenting style what would they be and why? Fun, Loving, Understanding. I think it’s pretty self-explanatory, they have fun parenting my sister and me, and they show their love especially through how much they understand our situations.
Is there one lesson your parents taught you when you were younger that you know you will never forget? I have two. To treat others the way you want to be treated. Anything that you do with your time do it with all of your effort, or else you’re just wasting time.
What were some of your favorite activities to participate in as your grew up, or some that you still participate in now? Growing up I enjoyed playing any kind of sport in the neighborhood or playing team sports. That’s basically what I did with most of my time.
Do you think any of those activities have had a profound impact on your relationship with the Lord? Yes, it has shown me how in control He is. That regardless of any outcome of a game or a sport it is really up to Him, and He has a plan for the actions that are happening.
How many times a week would you say you take time out of your day to actively spend time with the Lord? I would say 10-15 minutes a day to just reflect and question some things.
Can you think of a time when you were tempted to do something you knew was wrong but you resisted? What made you resist that temptation? Maybe putting myself in a bad situation, or getting invited to go to a party that I knew would turn out bad. I think the thing that made me resist was weighing the consequences of acting in that way.
If you could give advice to young moms (that are striving to raise kids that honor God and lead their peers for good) what would you suggest? To lead kids in the right direction, but don’t force them one-way or the other. Show them the options, let them do what they want and learn things from their actions.
Thank you SAM! We are so proud of you – keep leading your peers and many little ones watching.
Time With God