When an athlete reaches the pinnacle of a sport, the new pedestal changes their vantage point. No longer are they looking up to others; everyone is looking up to them. It’s a powerful shift that alters every aspect of their lives.

What’s interesting about Lauren Cheney, though, is how far from that observation shift she lives. As one of the stars of the U.S. women's national soccer team, Cheney has, by contrast, spent most of her life looking up to and learning from others. Only recently has she realized that, while she’s been focused on others, the world has been focusing on her.

As one of just three coaches in Division I history to guide three different schools to the College World Series—including one national championship—University of Arizona baseball coach Andy Lopez is considered among the game’s all-time elite. But past accomplishments aren’t what drive this veteran coach. Rather, it’s the God-given responsibility he feels to teach values and life lessons to his players.

In the 1970s, Swiss biologist Hermann Brandt created a game called tchoukball (pronounced “chook-ball”)—a teamwork-heavy mashup of more well-known sports, including volleyball, jai alai and handball. The goal was to allow players of all ages and walks of life to experience the thrill of competition without the aggressiveness and violence that commonly permeates athletic events.

Four decades later, tchoukball has increased so much in popularity that it now boasts junior, women’s and men’s world championships at the international level. And today, it is helping a passionate group of FCA International missionaries and partners in the Philippines reach athletes and coaches for Christ and share a love that transcends creed, culture and competition.

Cancer is a powerful enemy, and I believe God calls us to be aggressive as we fight it–both in prayer and action. At one moment we are called to trust and surrender, and in the next to take up arms and fight. That’s what it means to be aggressive: daily doing battle in the heavenly realms, prayerfully asking God to move and do what only He can do. During our fight, we need God to do surgery inside us at the heart and soul level. We need Him to change our internal environment, both spiritually and physically.