HUNTER KEMPER 
 

Personal Testimony

 

I would like to start off by saying that I am a Christian. I love the Lord and want to always acknowledge him in everything that I do. 
 

My favorite verse in the Bible comes from Isaiah 40:28-31
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

On the days when I don’t think I can run another mile, or when I don’t think I’m able to cross the finish line, I always remember that God does not grow tired or weary. Anything is possible with God. As long as you put your faith in God…He will “renew your strength" - He will not let you grow tired.  Put your trust in Him and you will “…soar on wings like eagles.”
 

I came to know Jesus Christ in a truly personal way after I moved out to Colorado Springs, CO. I grew up in a family that went to church on a regular basis when I was a young boy. However; I would never say that I truly knew the love that Christ had for me.  On a nice sunny day I would much rather be outside playing with my friends than going to church on a Sunday morning. I was ultimately punching my “religious card” every Sunday. Growing up sports were my life. It was what slowly took our family away from going to church and learning more about Jesus. I found myself always traveling to sporting events on the weekends – swim meets, tennis tournaments, triathlons, soccer matches, etc…  I eventually didn’t find the time to go to church. 

 

While I was attending college at Wake Forest University I began to realize that something was missing in my life.  Unsure of what that missing piece was, I found myself drawn to hanging out with friends that were Christians. There was something different about their lifestyles that I liked to be around. 



During the summer of 1998, after graduating from Wake Forest University, I moved out to Colorado Springs to train at the Olympic Training Center in the sport of triathlon. In 1999, I slowly realized what was missing in my life. I began to attend church again on a regular basis with friends of mine from the training center. I started looking forward to Sundays and learning more about Christ’s amazing love. I realized that I wasn’t living my life the way that I wanted to. I was a slave to my sport of triathlon. My life felt empty. I was fighting against the belief that there was some act or deed that I could do in order to earn God’s forgiveness. During the summer of 1999, after going to church early on a Sunday morning, I came home and gave my life over to Christ.  I knelt down before Him in the bedroom of my rental home and confessed to Him that I could no longer do it on my own.  I asked God to forgive me of all my sins.  I gave all my “stuff” over to Him. I cried a lot that day; not because I was sad but because I felt free. On that summer day my old self was washed away and I became a new person in Christ. I now know that nothing is impossible with God.



God has blessed me in so many ways. He placed my beautiful wife Val into my life shortly after I asked Jesus to come into my heart.  He has blessed us with five amazing children that keep me humble every day.   Finally, God has blessed me with amazing talents in the sport of triathlon and my prayer is that I will never be afraid to honor Him in all that I do.