It wasn’t much of a setback — barely a blip during the post-game, really. The kind of thing that would keep him out of the last three games of the season, but altogether, nowhere near career-ending.

But it redefined him. Refocused him. And so, Emmanuel Moody thinks what happened at the Oregon game was divine intervention.

With less than two minutes left in the first quarter, University of Southern California quarterback John David Booty had slipped him the ball, and Emmanuel tucked it safely into the crook of his left arm. He charged through the hole until a 300-pound defender grabbed his waist and slid into him from behind, catching Emmanuel’s ankle under his body. Emmanuel fell forward into the body of a defensive back while his left ankle twisted 45 degrees.

He heard it pop as he fell to the ground. And then his head began to buzz. You’ve forgotten why you came here, Emmanuel. Teammates hovered and helped him up. This city and your status have changed you. He hobbled over to the bench, gingerly touching his left foot to the grass. You’re beginning to believe more in football than him. He traced the pain that began at his arch and shot up to the middle of his shin. Well, let this be your wake-up call. They carted him into the locker room for X-rays. Remember your promise, your vision? The early diagnosis was probable torn ligaments. Remember how much he loves you?

The next day, Emmanuel, on crutches, took himself to church.

 

***

 

Emmanuel says he was saved at a church retreat in Houston. The youth group of the KoreanCentralUnitedMethodistChurch was gathering for one of its weekends of worship service, skits and team-building activities.

“Emmanuel came to most of our retreats,” recalls his youth pastor, Ray Park. “I could really tell he was very serious and very devoted in worshipping.”

This particular retreat was different. One minute Emmanuel was praying, the next he was believing in a way he never had. His devout mother had instilled strong Christian values in him, but this was new.

“The Holy Spirit just activated something in my heart, and he really gave me the passion to glorify his name and live out a Christian life.”

It was about the same time Emmanuel was getting notice for running like hell on the football field. All those training sessions with his uncle — cone drills, 100-yard sprints, fake left, cut right, start over, do it again — seemed to be showing up to play. He had a ways to go, but the kid from Coppell, Texas, began to sense that he might actually have a shot at the only dream he’d ever had.

But embracing God in his life changed things. And playing professional football suddenly didn’t seem like the only thing out there.

Then, the vision came: He’d use football to spread the word. He’d be so good that no one could ignore him. And if he was really good, they’d want to listen, no matter what he was preaching. With every zigzag he made across the field, he’d gain more followers; with every dart into the end zone, a few more willing to believe. Maybe even enough for a congregation.