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By Mallory Mattingly
Atlanta Falcons running back Nathan Carter and his wife, Madison, went on a life-changing missions trip to the Dominican Republic recently, and he realized something many of us forget.
“God is always at work, everywhere around us. The question is: do we have the eyes to see what the Lord is doing, and will we lean in or look away?” Carter began on Instagram. “This past week, Madison and I joined @compassion on a trip with the @atlantafalcons. What I saw in the DR was unforgettable. The struggles of families, which are often hidden from view, were heartbreaking. We shed many tears hearing the stories of mothers and children fighting to make ends meet.”
“I can explain and show pictures of the makeshift houses of tin and metal scraps — the one‑bedroom concrete home with over eight people and no bathroom. Kids walking miles to school or to use a bathroom. Heartbreaking. And yet, in the midst of the brokenness, there was so much beauty,” the running back continued.
Related: Falcons’ Nathan Carter Invites Fans to ‘Come and See’ the Goodness of Jesus
Despite what the people lacked, Carter saw great joy.
“You saw the joy of kids just being kids, the way their faces lit up the moment you picked up a ball,” he recalled. “You saw mothers who weren’t complaining about their situation, but rejoicing in the faithfulness of their heavenly Father for something as simple as a mattress. There was a beautiful, overwhelming sense of joy and contentment, a joy rooted in knowing that Christ was enough. And it made me realize that in the midst of being in the NFL and living the ‘American Dream,’ I don’t always have that. If we’re honest, many of us don’t.”
The athlete and his wife even got to meet the child they sponsor.
“Madison and I met our sponsor kid. Who would’ve thought $43/month could make such a difference? Not just in his life today, but for eternity. Compassion’s mission is ‘Releasing Children from Poverty in Jesus’ Name,’ and they do so while enriching lives with the Gospel,” Carter explained, referencing Compassion’s mission to “follow in [Jesus’] footsteps to share the gospel in word and action.”
He pointed to James 2:5, which states, “Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?”
“What will you do with what you’ve seen, lean in or look away?” Carter continued, quoting a challenge from Compassion’s president and CEO Jimmy Mellado.
“As for us, we’re leaning in to make an eternal impact for those who can do nothing in return. Why? Because that’s what Jesus did. Jesus did for us what we could never do for Him. So we extend that same grace to others,” Carter finished. “God is working all around us. There is a need, and doing nothing is not an option. Will you lean in or look away?”
Like Carter, we all have to decide to “lean in” to help others and share the gospel with them.
Read Next: NFL’s Nathan Carter Wants You to Experience ‘The Living God’
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