In the very first episode of The Christian Athlete Podcast, Jaden Ferlita sits down with Skylar Pearcy and Mansell Amos — three former Wheaton College football players reflecting on the deeper story beneath athletics.

Together, we talk honestly about what it means to find our identity in Christ while living in a world that constantly pushes us to root it in performance. Mansell shares how God met him in seasons of suffering, how the valley often becomes the place where the Shepherd does His most formative work, and why giving Christ our whole life — not just the easy parts — is the only path to true freedom.

We also explore the formational power of sport, the tension between ambition and surrender, and the way God uses competition, injury, and struggle to shape us into people who look more like Him.

This episode sets the tone for the entire podcast: real stories, honest wrestling, and the unwavering hope we find in Jesus.